Heston Brown - Authentic Peru Cookbook: Tasty Peruvian Recipes You Can Make at Home

Papa a la Huancana is the most famous Peruvian appetizer. It is a staple of everyday cooking and vacation cuisine all over the country. It consists of boiled yellow potatoes in a creamy spicy sauce known as Huancana. Though the name of the dish derives from Huancayo, a city deep in the Peruvian highlands, it actually comes from Lima, Peru.

Serving Size:

Preparation: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 x medium potatoes ideally Yukon Gold, cut in half
• 1 lb. Mexican fresh cheese (Queso Fresco), roughly crumble
• 1 x medium onion, evenly sliced
• 6 x chili peppers, cut lengthwise and de-seed
• 1 x lb. softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 4 large eggs, hard boil and halve lengthwise
• 8 x lettuce leaves
• 1 x garlic clove
• 1 x tbsp. olive oil to taste
• 2 x tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper - ground
• 8 x black olives, pitted and cut in half

Instructions:

1. Add the potatoes to a large pot. Cover with salted water and cook until boiling.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low then simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and set potatoes aside to cool.

3. Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a skillet. Add the onions and cook for around 10 minutes until tender.

4. Add water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil chili peppers for around 5 minutes until soft. Drain and run chilis under cold water to cool. Remove skins.

5. Add to a blender the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, chili peppers, cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Stream in the evaporated milk while blending until you have a creamy consistency.

6. Place one lettuce leaf onto each plate. Place three halves of the cooked potatoes on each lettuce leaf.

7. Drizzle the creamy sauce across the top of the potatoes.

8. Add half an egg and two halves of black olive to serve.