A ronqueo is the traditional butchering of a tuna, the name being a reference to the sound the knife makes as it scrapes along the spine (roncar = snore). I was invited to a special ronqueo this week to announce the beginning of Almadraba Tuna & Peruvian Flavours week, organised by my friend Eva @Flamencakitchen with La Pandilla de Perú (the Peru Gang! four restaurants run by Peruvian friends here).

The ronqueo started off with the fellow from Barbate hauling a 160 kilo tuna out of a van and commencing to hack it to bits. With extreme precision. Omg I was wincing in sympathy for his lower back but in less than half an hour he had this beautiful beast perfectly cut into the various parts and pieces with no waste whatsoever. Then it was time to eat.

The four chefs from Lima Street Food, Chicha Cocina Peruana, El Abrazsador and  La Salá got to work preparing the special tapas each of them were going to offer during the week while we drank pisco sours and cold beer enjoying the show. And then we got to taste the show! Seriously every tapa was fabulous. This was a brilliant concept and a great way to showcase both the annual almadraba tuna catch and the talents of these amazing Peruvian chefs. Thanks Eva!