About
“Ir a la cocina es volver a casa.”Going to the kitchen is coming back home. Gastón Ugalde could have been describing Bolivia the moment you sit down in front of a heaping plate of Pique Macho — a dish that doesn’t whisper “home,” it shouts it.
Pique Macho is Bolivia at its most unapologetic: beef seared hard, sausages sliced thick, fries piled up like a dare, eggs dumped on top, peppers, onions, mayonnaise, mustard, anything with flavor thrown into the mix. It arrives at the table looking less like a meal and more like a challenge. And that’s the point — this dish was built for people who work hard, drink hard, and eat in groups that always seem bigger than expected.
Its story starts in Cochabamba, Bolivia’s beating culinary heart, sometime in the 1960s when a restaurant called El Corregidor decided to take the idea of a simple pique — a mixed meat plate common across South America — and turn the volume all the way up. Legend says the dish was created for a group of drunk, ravenous men who demanded something “para los machos,” something only the brave could finish. True or not, the name stuck, and so did the attitude.
Pique Macho is layered like a fever dream: fries at the bottom, then meat, then sausage, then vegetables sautéed until they’re just sweating, then whatever condiments make sense in the moment. It’s huge. It’s messy. It’s meant to be attacked by multiple forks at once. And it’s perfect for what Bolivia does best — bringing people together over food and letting conversation, laughter, and a little chaos do the rest.
You’ll find it at street-side joints, family gatherings, late-night sidewalk tables lit by a single bare bulb. Everyone eats it differently. Some add locoto peppers until their lips go numb. Some load it with extra egg. Some treat it like a shared ritual, passing the plate around until nothing but grease remains.
Pique Macho isn’t refined. It isn’t delicate. It doesn’t need to be. It’s a dish born from hunger, camaraderie, and the conviction that food tastes better when eaten with people you actually like.
One bite and you understand Bolivia’s soul: comforting, generous, a little wild, and always ready to feed whoever walks through the door.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
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INGREDIENTS
1 lb beef steak, thinly sliced (Any meat can also be used)
4 Bolivian sausages (chorizo or hot dogs), sliced
4 cups French fries, cooked until crispy
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard for serving
Hot sauce (locoto sauce) for serving (optional)
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Instructions
A fun and hearty stir fry featuring beef, fries and whatever the heck you want.
Click here for video recipe and story on Instagram
Prepare and Marinate the Meat:
Marinate the beef slices with cumin, paprika, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Make Your Fries and Hard Boil Eggs
Cut medium sized french fry shaped pieces from your choice of potatoes.
Shallow fry until tender or put into the oven until done
The fries can really be however you want it, there are many recipes for various fries. In this dish they will get a bit soggy with everything put on top, so whatever your way of getting them nice and crispy will come in handy here.
Cook the Meats:
In the same skillet, cook the sliced sausages until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a bit of oil. Sauté the marinated beef slices until cooked to your preferred level of doneness. Set aside.
Sauté Onions and Peppers:
In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed, and sauté the sliced onions and bell peppers until they are softened and slightly caramelized.
Assemble the Dish:
On a large serving platter, start by arranging a layer of crispy French fries.
Next, layer the cooked beef slices and sausages on top of the fries.
Scatter the sautéed onions and peppers over the meat.
Garnish and Serve:
Top the dish with sliced tomatoes and hard-boiled egg slices.
Sprinkle additional crushed red pepper flakes and dried oregano for extra flavor and color.
Serve the dish with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and hot sauce on the side. Locoto sauce, a Bolivian hot sauce, is a great addition if you want to add some authentic heat.
