Spicy beef sandwich. Dinning on Moreyra stage

It was cooking day. My kids and I made quinoa and olive oil waffles for breakfast - the kitchen was a total mess but they had fun. On Sundays, because I have more time, I treat the family with something that breaks the school and work routine.  However, I couldn't eat any of them - although they were quite appealing. I was too full from the night before.

Nick and I dinned at the Casa Moreyra, the restaurant of the famous Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio and his wife Astrid Gutsche. We were having our belated annual Christmas dinner. Anyhow, any excuse is always good enough to celebrate if you have a glass of wine to cheer and delicious food to share. 

Located in the neighbourhood of San Isidro, this old mansion is so spectacular than when it opens its doors for the guests it makes them feel immediately witnesses of an incredible food experience. Your expectation is high because you are prepared to enjoy a special night, an unforgettable culinary evening where the ambience, the setting, the service, the quality of the ingredients and of course, the food play together a role to win an Oscar - your credit card should be ready too, by the way …ouch!

In Casa Moreyra you have the option to eat in the casual and spontaneous place called La Barra or in the very formal dinning place named El Cielo, where the restaurant has been tailor-made for you. In this occasion, we opted to have dinner under the sky, in one of the two private salons with its own team of chefs, service and kitchen. 

At our arrival, when the terrace was still quiet - 7.30 pm was perhaps too early for the Peruvians - we had the pleasure to meet Diego Munoz, the young Head Chef of Astrid and Gaston, who gave us five minutes of his precious time to welcome us.

After our aperitif , we were conducted to visit the private kitchen of one of the salons. The kitchen was  like a jewelry store, each person concentrated on the eleven dishes that would give live to the degustation menu, Memorias de mi tierra, the great star of the night. I noticed a certain amount of pride in some of the cooks, like if they were magicians. The spectacle was about to start.

We were going to spend three hours tasting the Memorias de mi tierra which was divided in five stages each one baptized with a name invoking old times: Golosinas a la salida de la escuela, Memorias del hogar, Travesuras del nino, Dulce memoria y Sabor perdido. I was open to the smallest detail to what my five senses were telling me…every plate would be a surprise.

I tried chewy beef tongue and crunchy trotters with mustard - hidden underneath of edible red and yellow blossoms. I discovered strange, but delightful, combinations of flavors: thin slices of avocado with white sesame seeds, maca and aji; quince with peanuts; meringue of olives and anchovies; white asparagus with chickpeas and caviar. But there were some other alternatives that I found too strong to my taste, like the fishy leche de tigre with apple and beetroot or the chupin of false clams called machas with green broad beans and creamy potatoes.

I enjoyed drinking apple juice from a huge ice cube, although there was not much liquid to drink.

Above all, my favorite dish was the classic tribute to mash potato with a fried egg on top and fresh spinach. Perhaps because it was the only plate from the menu I recognized. I loved every single bite of it.

The whole evening went fast, except for the last 20 minutes when Nick and I started to feel the tiredness of the day. We still had to wait for the sweets or Dulce memoria - although I seriously couldn't fit any more food in my stomach. 

During the dinner, I confessed my short list of resolutions for 2015 - usually longer than Nick's. When I thought I said them all, out of the blue,  I added find a challenge. I had to say it loudly so I could hear it myself. At that moment, I didn't understand why I had to include a new goal in my life, but I just felt a sense of excitement when the words come out of my mouth.

In the way back home, close to midnight, I summarized the experience in my head, analyzing every moment. I realized that this type of dinning is a bit selective, for "foodie" people. I also became aware of the fact that food is art when it is presented in this fine way. Each drop counts, same as the dust to garnish, or even the story behind the dish is important to understand the structure of the plate, the flavors, the textures and the colors. I admired the food presentation before I tasted.

On the other hand, there were moments when the restaurant was a theatre stage with a play called Moreyra. It was all set up, less romantic than I expected, no margin for mistakes. Too programmed. Besides, I wish we had less interruptions by the waiters who explained the dish, who placed the food on the table, who came right after to garnish it or who collected the plate. Ah! and the sommelier to pour the wine. A perfect synchronization, so well established that when I stood up to go to the bathroom one of the waiters panicked and said excuse me, madam, could you wait? I have the next dish ready!

Living new experiences and having an open mind to soak them into my family's life are a permanent goal in a short list of resolutions that every Christmas dinner I read and share with Nick, my companion in the way to achieve them.

A couple of days after dinning at Casa Moreyra I was enrolled in a two year career of Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Peru. It was in fact a memorable night, full of an unexpected surprises.

I made up this sandwich using the leftovers from a dinner party we hosted at the residence a few weeks ago. It is a superb spicy fillet of beef marinated for 36 hours over a layer of tomato chutney, crunchy red cabbage salad and creamy, and smelly, Camembert cheese. I wouldn't bother to make this recipe just for the sandwich but it is a perfect candidate for a dinner party, particularly when you comment the amount of hours the meat was marinaded! My guests loved that. 

Spicy beef sandwich with red cabbage salad and cherry tomate relish
Recipe of Sybil Kapoor (serves 4)

• 170 g light muscovado sugar
• 155 coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
• 1-2 fresh red chillies. sliced
• 115 ml soy sauce
• 115 ml sesame oil, toasted
• 450g trimmed fillet of beef
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

For the salad

• 350g fine green beans, trimmed
• 3 heads of red chicory or 2 handfuls of shredded red cabbage
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
• 1/2 teaspoon runny honey
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons walnut oil (I used sunflower oil)
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Mix all the ingredients except the sunflower oil in large dish (I used a big plastic bag) to hold the beef. Place in the fridge for at least 36 hours, rubbing the liquid on the meat.
2. After three days, remove the fillet and quickly rinse under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Preheat the oven to 200C.
3. As soon as the oven is hot, heat the sunflower oil over a medium flame and wait until it is very hot. Add the beef. Color and sear on all the sides, then transfer to a small roasting tray or baking dish. Pour over the frying oil, and place the dish in the oven. Roast for 12 minutes. Remove, cool and chill until required.
4. Shortly before serving, drop the green beans into a pan of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Wash the red cabbage leaves and tear them into large pieces. Place in a large bowl with the cooked beans and red onion rings.
5.  Make the dressing (if you add the dressing too in advance, you will get soggy leaves instead of the crunchiness you need): whisk together the honey, garlic, lemon juice and walnut oil. Season and toss everything together. 
6. Divided the salad in four plates and top with slices of the beef.

PS: Make extra for the sandwich tomorrow!