Lomo Saltado

HEY! YOU THERE! Do you like steak? How about fries? How about the two of them together with sambal, soy sauce, onion, garlic and tomatoes? AND with rice if you like! What?! The hell you say?? YEAH. You heard me right. You can have it all.

Lomo Saltado is a dish from Peruvian cuisine that I love and had to try to recreate at home…it turned out pretty damn well! My riff on it includes Sambal (red chili paste), and slicing the tomato into strips as opposed to bigger slices.

Bottom line – this gives the Frenchy steak frites classic a run for its money. And, while they are both delicious, I will choose this dish every time. And after trying it, you just might too!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 lb. sirloin steak, cut into strips

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• ½ large red onion, sliced

• 1 medium tomato, sliced into strips

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon red chili paste (sambal oelek works best)

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 lb. french fries, cooked

• White rice, cooked, for serving, optional

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the steak, season with salt and pepper, cooking until browned – roughly 5 minutes. Remove from the pan.

2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan, then add the red onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and browned. Add the tomato, garlic, and red chili paste, and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the soy sauce and vinegar and stir to combine, let cook for 1 minute.

4. Add the steak and cilantro back in, followed by the crispy cooked fries. Toss gently to coat the fries in the sauce.

5. Serve over rice, if desired.