Peruvian Cooking

Anticuchos

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Cava de Paraje Calificado is produced from vines in a small area which is distinguished from others by its specific characteristics (location and terroir). A superior Cava, synonymous with exceptional quality.

30 minutes

Difficulty

5 people

Meat

Is there a dish that's more quintessentially Peruvian than an anticucho? What's for sure is that this is one of the most typical types of Peruvian food, and you’ll see variations on this same theme in the neighbouring countries. But what exactly is an anticucho?

An anticucho is a kebab made with marinated beef heart. They're a part of colonial history, and although you’ll find them at all sorts of celebrations, they’re also a street food speciality.

As well as the beef heart, what makes anticuchos special is the marinade, which is made from local ingredients, like ají, for example. This is an ideal dish to cook at home to surprise your friends with. And at the Cava Regulatory Board, for a perfect evening we recommend you pair the dish with a cava de paraje calificado or single estate cava (aged for more than 36 months).

Ingredients

1 beef heart

4 tbsp ají panca

2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp dried oregano

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

Toothpicks or wooden skewers

Instructions

Clean the beef heart well, removing veins and fat.

Cut the heart into smallish pieces and reserve in a bowl. You need to make sure the pieces of heart are a suitable size for your skewers.

Once the meat is ready, it's time to prepare the marinade which is what really makes this recipe special. Add all the other ingredients to the bowl with the meat and stir carefully to ensuring it’s all mixed together well, and that the pieces of heart are coated in the marinade.

Cover the bowl with cling film, and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

The next day before making the kebabs, soak the skewers in water so that they don't later burn when you put them on the grill.

Place 3 or 4 (depending on how big they are) pieces of heart on each skewer, until your bowl is empty and you've made all your anticuchos. Reserve the remaining marinade.

Cook the anticuchos on the grill, using a brush to coat them with the leftover marinade that you previously set aside. This will make them really juicy and tasty.

And now your anticuchos ready to eat! Try serving in the traditional way, with chips and some ají salt. But either with or without potatoes, don't forget to accompany them with a cava de paraje calificado (aged for more than 36 months), to make the very most of this typically Peruvian dish.

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