If you can believe it, I’ve dated a vegetarian. As you can imagine, that was a challenge for a food writer who interned as a butcher. So when I met my other half, and he eventually admitted that he can’t stand the flavor, smell, or thought of lamb, I could live with that. As long as we can enjoy a charcuterie plate together, right? I sometimes pine over chops and shoulders at the grocery store, but I’ve found that my work allows me plenty of opportunities to sneak away and eat something that was once cute and curly. And recently, that precise goal led me to Pio Pio Peruvian Cuisine in Great Falls.
Of course, we could have enjoyed one of numerous ceviches, tallarines verdes with beef tenderloin bites, or bistec a lo pobre à deux, but I had lamb on my mind. I had seen a photo online of the seco de cordero, and I had big plans. With three bountiful pieces of meat, I knew quickly that I was outmatched. But, no matter–after the first bite, I knew that I would put in a trencherman’s effort.
The fork-tender chunks of lamb at Pio Pio are marinated in cilantro and chicha de jora, an ancient fermented corn beverage. The latter imbues the resulting stew with a beer-like aroma that brings to mind Belgian carbonnade. But unlike the Flemish classic, there’s little acid to lighten the flavor–it’s a rich assault of lamb fat and booze. Relief comes in the form of salsa criolla, pickled onions and cilantro that rest atop the meat.
But it’s a notably heavy dish. A creamy side of canary beans is punctuated with sweet onion and flecks of bacon, and a pair of fried yucca wands gift the plate with a welcome crunch. But most importantly, I got my lamb fix. And my other half didn’t even have to suffer leftovers in the fridge.
762-A Walker Rd., Great Falls
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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