“The future of gastronomy is being cooked up in Peru.” — Ferran Adria
Renowned for its remarkable diversity, Peruvian gastronomy boasts distinctive fusions of Asian, European, African and Indigenous cuisine with a variety of unique ingredients from the jungles of the Amazon, fertile valleys of the Andes and vast coastlines of the Pacific. For this elegant dinner, local culinary personality and Depanneur veteran Carole Nelson Brown was inspired by the amazing Peruvian dishes prepared by her best friend. Using these exciting flavours as a starting point, Carole brings her own contemporary sensibility and sophisticated techniques to create a modern menu that’s all her own.
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Roasted Beets & Fennel with Pepita Crema
A colourful salad with layers of textures and flavour, earthy beets, fragrant and sweet roasted fennel and a nutty pumpkin seed cream.
Peruvian Shrimp with Aji Sauce
This light green, medium-hot, creamy, salty, tangy and oh-so-addictive sauce is most often found slathered over roast chicken — every Peruvian restaurant has its own secret recipe for this mysterious condiment. Here Carole pairs it with luscious butter-poached shrimp.
Aguadito de Pollo
More substantial than a soup, more delicate than a stew, this classic Peruvian, comfort food (and hangover cure!) gets an elegant, modern upgrade. A hearty and robust cilantro-infused broth, with tender chicken pieces, green peas, striking black rice and crisp shards of chicken skin.
Pisco Tres Leches Cake
A luxurious Latin American favourite: vanilla cake soaked with condensed milk, slathered with dulce de leche (caramelized milk) and topped with fresh whipped cream – this one is spiked with Pisco, the potent Peruvian grape brandy.
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$60 +HST
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Carole Nelson Brown‘s passions for food and her family —although not necessarily in that order — are legendary. From her love of blogging in The Yum Yum Factor, including showcasing delicious and unique ethnic and everyday recipes as well as reviewing local restaurants and other exciting edible happenings in Toronto and beyond, teaching cooking classes, completing a personal challenge of never repeating the same recipe twice for a full year (which proved easier said than done!) to developing recipes for brands, Carole has found her niche in the food world by drawing on her vast travel experience and food knowledge for inspiration as well as the daily ups and downs of her life for humour.
When she’s not busy creating magic in her own kitchen, Carole, an in-demand makeup artist, works her magic on celebrities from Kristen Stewart to Bruce Willis. You can check out her makeup portfolio at Carole Nelson Makeup
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Every weekend The Depanneur invites a guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party.
