Lomo Saltado

Lomo saltado is a Peruvian beef stir-fry served with rice and fries. Lorena Salinas’s version uses tenderloin, red onion, tomatoes and a soy-and-vinegar sauce, with garlic rice and double-fried potatoes alongside.

Garlic cooks in vegetable oil before the long-grain rice is added, followed by water. The covered rice cooks gently and is fluffed when dry. The potatoes are peeled and cut, soaked in salted water, then removed and dried with kitchen paper.

The potatoes fry in two passes: first over moderate heat until cooked, then in hotter oil to colour and crisp them. They drain on kitchen paper, receive salt and wait in a low oven while the beef is prepared.

Tenderloin cubes sear in small batches in vegetable oil with salt and pepper. This selected preparation reduces soy sauce and white-wine vinegar around the meat without flambéing; oyster sauce and Pisco are optional additions. The meat and its juices are removed between batches.

Tomatoes, red onion and the optional fresh ají amarillo are cooked quickly through the same sequence. Everything returns to the pan briefly before the green onion is added. Salinas serves the fries separately from the stir-fry, allowing them to keep their crisp texture alongside the garlic rice.