Papa a la Huancaina Recipe
Papa a la Huancaina is a Peruvian appetizer from the region of Huancayo. The creamy spicy sauce is poured over cold slices of potato, a bed of lettuce and garnished with black Peruvian olives and boiled egg.
Servings: 4
Cost: $12
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Huancaina Sauce:
- 2 whole ají amarillo chiles or 1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste
- Olive oil
- 1/4 yellow or white onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces queso fresco cut into cubes
- 1 (5-ounce can) evaporated milk
- Pinch ground turmeric (optional)
- 4 to 5 saltine crackers
For Serving:
- 4 to 5 leaves iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce for plating
- 5 boiled and peeled russet or yellow potatoes cooled and peeled
- 1 large boiled egg quartered
- 3 to 4 pitted Peruvian black olives or kalamata olives
Instructions
To Make the Huancaina Sauce:
- If using whole ají amarillo chiles, thaw them if necessary. And begin by slicing them in half. Remove the stem and seeds.
- In a small sauté pan, set over medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil, reserving the rest of the olive oil. Cook the ají amarillo chiles until softened. Transfer to a blender. If you're using paste, you can simply add the paste to a blender and proceed as instructed below.
- To the same small sauté pan, add the onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cook until mostly softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the blender, along with the cubed queso blanco, evaporated milk, and ground turmeric (if using); blend until mostly smooth. With the blender running, slowly add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add about 3 to 4 crushed saltine crackers and blend again until it reaches a thick rich consistency. Add another cracker if the consistency seems too thin. Salt to taste.
For Serving:
- Slice the peeled potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. To plate the dish, arrange the leaves of lettuce on a large plate. Fan the sliced potatoes atop the lettuce, and pour the sauce over the potatoes. Garnish with eggs and olives.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks:
- What should I use if I can't find aji amarillos? You can use scotch bonnet or another red/yellow colored pepper.
- Where can I find aji amarillos? You can often times find aji amarillos in any Latin market. I like to buy them in the frozen department. This way I can thaw what I need. You can also buy the paste on Amazon.
- What if I can't find queso fresco? In a pinch you can always use feta cheese. It will have more of a tart flavor to it so I would only use this as a last option.
- Can this sauce be frozen? Yes! It's a really good sauce to freeze. I would freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 4g | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 0.7mg
