Papa a la Huancaína

This is a popular appetizer, native to the city of Huancayo (capital of the Junín region, central Peruvian Andes). A Creole dish, It combines dairy products introduced by the Spanish with 2 of the most Andean ingredients: potatoes and ajíes.

Ingredients:

• 10 medium white potatoes
  
• ½ lb (¼ kg) of fresh white cheese (ricotta or feta are ok)
  
• 5 fresh yellow chilli-peppers (ají amarillo)
  
• 1 cup evaporated milk
  
• ½ cup chopped onion
  
• ½ cup vegetable oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 5-6 saltine crackers
  
• salt and pepper
  
• lettuce
  
• 3 hard cooked eggs
  
• black olives
  

Preparation:
Cook and peel potatoes and allow to cool.

Remove seeds and veins from the ajíes, wash well with water, and chop finely. In a medium skillet with hot oil, sauté the ajíes, onions, and garlic until tender.

Put this mix in a blender with the cheese, milk, crackers, salt and pepper. Pour the oil slowly until you get the characteristic smooth-creamy consistency of the sauce (you can add more crackers or some more milk for increasing/reducing thickness). Adjust to taste with salt and pepper if necessary, and let cool at room temperature.

Lay a bed of lettuce in a dish and place the potatoes on top. Cover with the sauce, and serve with hard boiled eggs (in halves) and black olives.

Makes 6 servings.

A recipe by the Wikimedia Cookbook.