The Recipe!
Introduction
Christian “Chino” Perez of Kichana Peruvian Fusion Cuisine combines his native Peruvian flavors with fresh, seasonal ingredients from the Pacific Northwest. Cooking, for him, is more than a meal—it’s a way to bring peace, joy, and connection to those around him. This vibrant breakfast sauté is full of bright, fresh flavors and topped with a zesty herb salsa to start your morning off right.
Yield: 2 servings, with leftover salsa for future meals
Ingredients
1 bulb fennel with fronds
1 bunch radishes
½ bunch mint
½ bunch cilantro
1 lime
¾ cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, peanut, or mild olive oil)
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
1 cup cooked black beans
2 eggs
Optional: 4 green onions, 1 clove garlic
Optional spices: ground sumac, cumin, Aleppo pepper
Salsa Preparation
In a blender or food processor, combine:
Mint stems and leaves
Cilantro stems and leaves
Juice of one lime
¼ fennel bulb plus fennel fronds
2–3 teaspoons salt (dissolved in ⅓ cup warm water)
Freshly ground pepper
½ cup neutral oil
Blend while slowly adding oil to emulsify into a smooth salsa.
Sauté Preparation
Slice remaining ¾ fennel bulb into ¼-inch slices.
Roughly chop about 8 small radishes.
Optionally, thinly slice garlic and green onions.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high, add 2 tbsp oil, and warm through.
Add fennel, radishes, garlic, and green onions to the pan. Season with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, and ¼ tsp each of optional spices.
Sauté for 4–5 minutes until slightly softened but still crunchy. Transfer to a plate.
Warm cooked black beans in the same pan and set aside on serving plates.
Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan, crack in eggs, sprinkle with salt, and cook over easy.
Top beans with sautéed veggies, add eggs, and drizzle generously with salsa.