The menu at La Mar Cocina Peruana in San Francisco provides guests with an extensive culinary tour of Peruvian cuisine, with a wide selection of cebiches, tiraditos, empanadas, causas and other classics. Peruvian-born Victoriano Lopez, executive chef at the restaurant, has a deep knowledge of the cuisine and is skilled at creating these favorites, but local ingredients often inspire him to add a California twist.
That’s exactly what he did when he developed Arroz con Cangrejo, a large-format dish presented in a paella pan. It uses Dungeness crab, Pacific cod and California avocados, with Peruvian peppers, spices and herbs adding authentic flavor notes.
A cross-cultural mashup
“In Peru, we have Arroz con Mariscos, which means ‘rice with seafood,’” Lopez explained. “It’s a rice-based dish that evolved from the Japanese, Chinese and Italian populations in Peru and their influences on the cuisine.”
For the restaurant’s Arroz con Cangrejo, which translates to “rice with crab,” he removes the Dungeness crab from the shell and sets it aside to steam later, using the shells and other ingredients to make a stock. Lopez then uses that stock to cook the rice—in this case, choosing short-grain Italian arborio rice. Peruvian peppers, including yellow aji amarillo and spicier red aji rocoto, flavor and tint the rice as it cooks.
“The rice is cooked in a way similar to paella, but we don’t use saffron or paprika like the Spanish version,” Lopez said. Sauteed garlic and onions and Peruvian black mint differentiate the preparation, too.
Meanwhile, the kitchen steams the Dungeness crab meat and claws and poaches a local fish to add to the finished dish. Right now, Pacific cod is the catch.
A shareable presentation
Once the rice is cooked, the Arroz con Cangrejo is prepped for presentation. Diced California avocados are tossed with olive oil and lemon juice and the rice is layered in a paella pan to ready the dish to bring to the table. The avocados are gently stirred into the cooked rice just to warm them a bit and the crab and cod are arranged on top.
“The texture and flavor of the avocados takes the place of aioli or another sauce or condiment,” said Lopez. The recipe starts out with about 2½ pounds Dungeness crab, but removing most of the meat from the shell makes it easier to eat, he adds.
Arroz con Cangrejo is listed on the menu at La Mar Cocina Peruana as a large-format dish designed to share among three to four diners; it’s priced at $120. “Although we don’t cook it in the paella pan, it makes for a nicer presentation, especially with the crab claws on top,” said Lopez.