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Anticuchos de corazón
Anticuchos — Lima's ají panca and vinegar beef-heart skewers with potatoes and corn
As night falls in Lima, anticucheras set up charcoal grills on street corners and fan the smoke towards passers-by; the October processions of the Señor de los Milagros are lined with them. The skewers are traditionally beef heart, a lean, firm and surprisingly mild meat, soaked in a dark-red marinade of ají panca, vinegar, cumin and garlic. They come with a boiled potato, a piece of choclo (large-kernel corn) and a spicy green ají sauce. If you can't get heart, sirloin steak works well. Chef's tip: baste the skewers with the leftover marinade and oil using a few coriander stalks tied together as a brush, the way the street cooks do.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the skewers
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn.
30 minStep 2: Whisk 4 tbsp ají panca paste, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper in a bowl.
2 minStep 3: Add 1 ¾ lb beef heart and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Common mistake: marinating heart for 2 days; the vinegar turns the outside mealy.
5 minStep 4: Thread 3–4 pieces onto each skewer, leaving small gaps so the heat reaches every side. Stir 3 tbsp vegetable oil into the leftover marinade for basting.
10 minStep 5: Heat a barbecue, griddle pan or grill to very hot. Grill the skewers for 2–3 minutes per side, basting often, until charred at the edges and still slightly pink and juicy inside. Heart turns tough and rubbery if cooked past medium.
8 minStep 6: If you use sirloin instead, cook the same way to your liking. Rest the skewers for 3 minutes off the heat.
3 minStep 7: Brown 4 yellow or waxy potatoes and 2 corn on the cob on the grill for a few minutes while the meat rests. Serve together, with ½ cup green ají sauce (huacatay or coriander) on the side if you like.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does anticuchos de corazón take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?
- Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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