Turkey is as Peruvian as Machu Picchu and it would hardly be Christmas with most urban Peruvians without it Gastón Acurio is also very Peruvian, almost the epitome of the quest to bring legitimacy to Peruvian gastronomy, to such an extent that some have suggested he should run for president of the country. Whether he will throw his hat into the political ring is an open question, yet he constantly campaigns for recognition of the variety and possibility of Peruvian cuisine.
On his Facebook page, today, he listed five recipes for turkey seasoning. If you are planning to make a bird, you might want to try one of them.
Although we have provided a link, we will also translate the one that depends on traditional ingredients from Cuzco.
Chicha de frutilla, or frutillada, as a point of departure. We add to it a blended sacha tomate along with garlic, and ground huacatay, a little bit of capuli and aguaymanto also blended, honey, salt, pepper, and the tip of a rocoto pepper.
This is a homage to the pantry and culture of Cuzco.
Note:
Sacha tomate is called tamarillo in English and can be difficult to find. Here is a Cuzco eats article on them.
Frutillada is a brilliant combination of chicha and strawberries, both described here.
Huacatay, the indispensible herb of the Incas is talked about here.
Capuli, a delicious little cherry is described here.
Aguaymanto or ground cherry we explore here.
Finally, here you can find information about rocotos.
If out of Peru you might wish to look on line for these ingredients or speak to your Peruvian or Latin grocer.
The combination Acurio describes is brilliant.
