Huancaína-style potatoes

This is a traditional and historic dish of Peruvian Creole cuisine, made with boiled potatoes covered in a creamy sauce of yellow chili pepper, milk, oil, and fresh cheese.In its classic presentation, it’s served with hard-boiled eggs, black olives, and lettuce leaves.

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

• 1 kg potatoes (you can use Canchán, Tumbay yellow, Yungay, or Andean potatoes)

For the sauce:

• 400 g fresh cheese

• 1 can evaporated milk

• 1 small pack of soda crackers

• 2 yellow chili peppers

• 2 garlic cloves

• ¼ onion

• Oil (as needed)

For decoration and serving:

• 4 hard-boiled eggs (cut in half)

• 8 olives

• Lettuce leaves (well washed)

Preparation

1. Cook the potatoes: Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Peel them and let them cool, then cut into slices.

2. Prepare the base: Lightly sauté the deseeded yellow chili peppers, garlic, and onion. Let cool.

3. Make the sauce: In a blender, combine the sautéed chili, garlic, and onion with some of the crumbled cheese, the crackers, and the evaporated milk.Blend until smooth and thick, gradually adding the remaining ingredients and a bit of oil if needed.

4. Serve: Place a lettuce leaf on each plate, arrange the potato slices, pour the Huancaína sauce on top, and garnish with half a boiled egg and an olive.

Tips

• To prevent the potatoes from staining the pot, boil them with half a slice of lemon.

• Add salt to the boiling water for better flavor.

• For bright yellow hard-boiled eggs without dark yolks:Boil water first, add the eggs, and cook for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and cool immediately in cold water before peeling.