Giancarlo Valera, executive chef of Peruvian restaurant Tanta in Chicago, was born and raised in the seaside city of Callao, Peru, the country’s first and most important port. Fresh seafood abounded at the dinner table. But when festivities were in order, Grandma broke out the beef.
In my family, on every special day—like a birthday, celebration, or anniversary—my grandma would always cook asado relleno. I remember playing at my grandpa’s house with my cousins while my grandma was in the kitchen for hours, cooking the asado and baking alfajores (Peruvian cookies filled with dulce de leche).
