Locro de cuy is a festive dish of Peru’s central Andes: a native-potato locro in an ají panca and achiote base, topped with golden pieces of guinea pig.
This Huánuco version comes from family cooking in Llata, in Huamalíes.
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Peruvian Locro de Cuy
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring cuy limpio y troceado, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
For the cuy
- 1 guinea pig (cuy)
- 2 liters of water
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons of ground garlic
- 1 scallion
- Cumin
- White vinegar
- Oil
- Salt and pepper
For the locro
- 2 kg native potatoes
- 4 tablespoons of achiote (annatto) essence
- 1 red onion
- 2 tablespoons of mild ground ají panca
- Mild ground ají amarillo
- Fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Preparation
- Cook the cuy, bring the 2 liters of water to a boil, add the peeled garlic cloves, the whole cuy, and salt, and cook until tender. Remove it, reserve a cup of the broth, and cut it into four pieces.
- Season and brown, grind the garlic, cumin, and scallion with a little vinegar and salt; season the pieces with this paste and brown them on both sides in a pan with oil over low heat. Set aside.
- Make the base, peel the potatoes and break them into medium pieces. In another pot, heat a little oil with the achiote; fry the diced onion and garlic until translucent and add the ají panca, ají amarillo, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano; fry for 3 minutes.
- Cook the locro, add the cup of broth, stir, add the potatoes, cover, and cook until tender.
- Serve, place the locro on the plate, top with the cuy pieces, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with scallion.
Tips
- Cook the cuy until tender before browning it.
- Break the potatoes into pieces so the locro turns thick.
- Brown the pieces over low heat so they don’t burn.
Traditional variations
- In Chiquián (Áncash) it’s made as «jaca locro», with the cuy grilled over embers.
How to serve
Serve the locro hot, with the cuy pieces on top, chopped parsley, and scallion.
Recommended pairings
- Chicha de jora
- Ground rocoto
Did you know?
Locro de cuy is the main festive dish in many Andean towns of Huánuco and Áncash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooked, browned guinea pig over a native-potato locro with an ají panca, achiote, onion, and garlic base.
It's cooked whole in water with garlic, cut into four, seasoned, and browned in oil.
It's a festive dish of the central Andes, in Huánuco and Áncash.
