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The mighty camelids of South America – llama, alpaca, vicugna and guanaco.

 

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In the Jujuy province in the north-west part of Argentina, en route to the Salinas Grandes (the great Salt Plains), we spotted these agile, graceful beasts – the diminutive vicugna.

 

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The camelids are herbivorous animals. They do not have hooves, but possess two-pronged toes, and have long slender necks.

 

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Llamas and alpacas are domesticated animals while the vicugnas and guanacos are wild. Llama meat is commonly eaten in Argentina.

 

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So when in Rome…

 

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Llama loin, red pepper mirasol sauce, small stone potatoes, and corn in basil essence

…do as the Romans do.

Cooked…

 

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Llama carpaccio

…or raw.

 

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Not quite chicken. Less gamy than beef, and tender in texture. It was our virginal experience at Jose Balcarce in Salta, a restaurant which serves exceptional Andean cuisine, concentrating on fresh and local produce.

 

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Yacare meat in roasted lemon sauce, mashed pumpkin and goat cheese

And if llama meat doesn’t suit your fancy, there is always yacare meat. (Yacare is a species of caiman from the alligatoridae family.)

 

Jose Balcarce
Necochea 590,
Salta,
Argentina