Bolivia is located in the continent of South America. It has Brazil to the north and northeast, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the northwest.
The capital is La Paz.
The official languages are Spanish and 36 indigenous languages.
The climate is diverse. Its rainy season is from December to March, but the precipitation varies throughout due to the terrain. The staples are meat, potatoes, tomatoes, cassava, cheese, pork, chicken, peas, and many amazing flavors (https://www.exoticca.com/us/america/south-america/bolivia/gastronomy).
https://www.britannica.com/place/Bolivia
ANTICUCHOS de CARNE (Grilled Beef Kabobs) (https://www.thespruceeats.com/grilled-beef-anticuchos-de-carne-3029521):
- 2 – 3 lbs steak (sirloin, tenderloin)
- 12 cloves garlic
- Water (as needed)
- ½ C vinegar (divided)
- ¼ C smoky mild chile pepper paste (aji panca, if available) (I bought this from Amazon)
- 1 TBSP cumin (plus a pinch for basting mixture)
- 1 TBSP salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- ½ C vegetable oil
- Serving suggestion: rice and corn on the cob
- Cut the beef into 1-1/2” pieces and place the pieces in a nonreactive bowl or dish.
- Mash or crush the garlic with a heavy utensil or a mortar and pestle. Add a little water if necessary to make a paste.
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, ¼ C of the vinegar, ¼ C chile pepper paste, 1 TBSP cumin, 1 TBSP salt, and 2 tsp freshly ground pepper.
- Pour the marinade over the beef and mix well.
- Cover and marinate the beef overnight in the refrigerator. If you are pressed for time, marinate the beef for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
- Prepare the grill.
- Place the pieces of beef onto the skewers (about 4 pieces on each skewer, depending on size.
- Make a basting mixture of ½ C vegetable oil, ¼ vinegar, and a pinch of cumin.
- Grill the skewers for about 5 minutes on each side, or to the desired doneness. Baste the meat several times during cooking.
- If preparing corn on the cob, you can also place them on the grill along with the skewers of beef.
- Plate as seen above in the picture.
CUNAPÉ (https://boliviancookbook.com/recipes/cunape/):
- 1 C tapioca flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 C shredded Monterey jack (or preferably Queso Fresco)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1-2 TBSP milk
- Preheat the oven to 450 F.
- Mix the tapioca flour and the baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the cheese and mix well until cheese is covered in the flour.
- Add the egg to the mix of cheese and flour, and mix. If the dough starts sticking together, you don’t need to add milk. If it keeps separating, add 1 TBSP of milk at that time.
- In some cases, you can add 1 TBSP of milk and make a nice ball of dough. Divide the dough in 10 pieces of the same size and shape them into balls. Put a thumbprint in the bottom of each ball (to help with even puffing in the oven).
- Place fingerprint side down on a cooking sheet. You can use parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 F, until they are nice and golden and dry.
ESPUMA de MANGO (Mango Mousse) (https://www.boliviabella.com/espuma-de-mango.html):
- 1 can of condensed milk
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 TBSP of lemon juice
- 2 C of mango pulp
- 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
- 5 egg whites
- 2 oz of rum (or you can use 1-2 tsp rum extract)
- 1 tsp of vanilla (clear if possible)
- In a blender, blend the condensed milk and add the egg yolks one by one, then add the lemon juice and mango pulp. Blend well.
- On low heat, cook the unflavored gelatin with a little water, stirring until it is completely dissolved and add to the blended mixture. Blend again.
- Beat the egg whites with the vanilla and rum until stiff and gently fold them into the blended mixture until completely incorporated.
- Put the mixture into a slightly greased mold and refrigerate three hours prior to serving. Serve in a dessert bowl or plate ringed or topped by mango slices.
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