We recently went to a big fiesta at Olvera Street (the original street of Los Angeles) which is now a tourist attraction. The fiesta was a festival of molé. It was kind of like a chili cookoff but for molé (if you aren't familiar with molé - it's a type of sauce). Each area of Mexico has their own version. We wandered around the booths and looked at the various wares. And then I spied a booth that was selling teeny-tiny books.
I found a wonderful little Peruvian cookbook which really caught my eye since I've spent some time in Peru and I'm always looking for recipes from there. And here were all the recipes contained in this teeny tiny book which I couldn't resist.
Here it is:
This recipe is for Palta Rellena (stuffed avocado). I've paraphrased it a little with apologies to the publisher.
1 large avocado
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 carrot,
1 small potato
1 medium onion
1/2 cup peas
parsley, vinegar, oil and salt
Cook the carrot, potatoes, and peas. Cut the carrot and
potatoes into small cubes. Mix with the
chicken. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Peel.
Season the vegetable mixture with the vinegar, oil and salt and
stuff in the avocado halves. Top with chopped onion.
Garnish with the peas and parsley.
If you'd like to order one of these darling little books here's
their website:
www.minibooks.com.pe
They also have lots of children's books. Wouldn't you have loved
these tiny books when you were little?
More photos from Olvera Street:
The one disappointment of the day, we didn't get a chance to try any molé. It was late in the day and everyone was sold out. Maybe next year!