PERUVIAN HEART KEBABS

375 g beef heart (ask butcher to trim)

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tsp coarse sea salt

½ tsp whole black peppercorns

2 serrano chiles, stems removed

1 clove garlic, germ removed

3 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Cut heart into ¾-inch cubes and place in bowl. Toast cumin in a small frying pan until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place in a spice grinder with salt and peppercorns and grind. Add chiles and garlic; grind again, then transfer to a small bowl; whisk in the vinegar and olive oil. Pour over the heart pieces and toss to coat; cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to high. Thread two or three heart pieces onto wooden or metal skewers and grill over high heart for about 4 minutes total, turning once.

Makes about 16 tasting skewers of 2 or 3 pieces per skewer

Remove veggies from grill and cut into large bite-sized pieces or leave whole, depending on their size.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed cast iron pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, stir in tomato paste. Add vegetables and cook until tomato starts to stick on bottom of pot. Deglaze pot with red wine.

Add grilled cheeks and enough stock to cover meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until meat is fork tender. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings