Potatoes originated in the Peruvian Andes, so it is no surprise that they figure into one of Peru’s favorite dishes. Lomo Saltado translates roughly as “jumping loin,” because the strips of meat jump around as you stir-fry them. In this recipe, adapted from one by the National Bison Association, you’ll see the cross-cultural influence of Asian and South American ingredients combined with North American bison meat. Once the potatoes are cooked, the dish comes together quickly. It makes sense to have everything prepped before you begin.
Ingredients:
1 pound bison tri-tip roast, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or French fries
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 red onion, sliced thinly into slivers
1 hot yellow pepper, sliced in thin rings (preferably Peruvian ‘Aji Amarillo’)
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 plum tomatoes, sliced into thin strips, with bulk of seeds removed
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepared white rice
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Procedure:
Let bison come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before cooking. Cook the French fries or potato wedges in a skillet with oil (or bake in the oven). Keep warm. Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high heat, and sauté garlic with the cumin for 1 minute. Add bison, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer bison to a plate or bowl.
Add the onions, hot yellow pepper and red peppers to the same pan and cook about 3 minutes, until the onions are soft, adding a little more vegetable oil if needed. Add the vinegar and soy sauce and cook 2 to 3 more minutes.
Return the bison to the pan, add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the French fries to the pan, toss. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve with rice. Delicious Peruvian Lomo Saltado makes 4 to 6 servings.
Curious about bison? Read a full article on the health benefits of eating bison meat in Scott Martelle’s article Try Bison Meat for Great Taste and Better Health.