Pique macho is a lively Cochabamba sharing platter piled with fried potatoes, strips of beef, sausage, tomato, onion and spicy locoto. The dish is meant to be generous and shared at the table.
- Prep
- 30 minutes
- Cook
- 40–50 minutes
- Serves
- 4
- Cuisine
- Bolivian
The recipe
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Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Deep frying pan, skillet, saucepot, thermometer, knife and scale. paid link
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Method
-
Prepare potatoes. Rinse cut potatoes and dry well. Deep-fry in safely managed oil at around 170–175°C until golden and tender, working in small batches; drain and season.
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Cook eggs. Hard-boil eggs for 9–10 minutes, cool briefly, peel and quarter.
-
Sear beef. Heat 30 ml oil in a large skillet. Sear beef strips in batches on medium-high heat until browned and cooked through; set aside.
-
Heat sausage and aromatics. Add remaining oil, onion, garlic and pepper to skillet; sauté 4–5 minutes. Add sausage and cook until hot through, at least 75°C if required by its packaging.
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Combine. Return beef and season with salt, pepper, cumin and a little vinegar. Fold gently to combine.
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Assemble as a platter. Pile fries on a large warm platter, top with beef and sausage, then add tomato wedges, chili, onion slices and quartered eggs. Serve immediately.
Chef’s notes
- Use a generous sharing platter rather than individual composed servings for a traditional presentation.
- Locoto can be fiercely hot. Offer it on the side when cooking for mixed spice tolerances.
- Oil for fries should not be overloaded with damp potatoes.
Substitutions
- A mild red chili can replace locoto, while changing the characteristic heat.
- Beef sirloin or rump can be used according to budget.
- Oven-baked fries are a lighter adaptation if deep-frying is not practical.
Storage and Food Safety
Store cooked beef, sausage and potatoes separately and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or below, using within 2 days. Reheat hot components to at least 75°C and make fresh tomato garnish when serving.
Serve with
Tomato, onion, locoto chili and hard-boiled eggs
Allergens
Check sausage for wheat, milk, soy or other declared allergens. Eggs are present.
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