This recipe is originally from Peru, one of the potato capitals of the world.
Papa a la Huancaina (Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)
This recipe is originally from Peru, one of the potato capitals of the world.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup toasted small bread crumbs
- 1.25 cups evaporated milk
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ clove garlic (minced)
- ¾ cup aji amarillo paste
- 1.5 cups queso fresco, or soft Mexican white cheese
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 12-16 baby lettuce leaves (as garnish)
- ¼ cup pitted black olives (cut in half, as garnish)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (cut in half, as garnish)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped, as garnish)
Instructions
- Soak the toasted bread crumbs in 1.25 cups evaporated milk and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- While the bread crumbs are soaking, boil the Yukon Gold potatoes in very salty water and cook until tender.
- When potatoes are cooked, drain and remove peels.
- Cut the potatoes into 3/8” thick slices and set aside for later.
- To make the sauce, use an immersion blender to combine the bread crumbs and milk from earlier with the vegetable oil, garlic, aji Amarillo paste, queso fresco, and kosher salt.
- Blend mixture until it reaches a smooth consistency.
- If the mixture is too thin, add more queso fresco.
- If the mixture is too thick, add more evaporated milk.
- Prepare plates with lettuce leaves, topped with sliced potatoes, topped with the spicy cheese sauce, black olives, and parsley.
Notes
Any extra sauce can be saved and used to accompany a variety of dishes. It tastes great on grilled chicken or beef.