Papas a la Huancaína

Named after the city of Huancayo in the Peruvian Andes, this cold potato dish is one of Peru's most beloved appetisers. Boiled yellow potatoes are blanketed in a creamy, mildly spicy sauce of ají amarillo (yellow chili), fresh cheese, and evaporated milk. The dish is as much about the vivid yellow-orange sauce as the potato — Peruvian ají amarillo has a fruity, floral heat that cannot be replicated by any substitute. It is served at room temperature, making it ideal as a starter or potluck dish.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 800g (1.75 lb) waxy yellow potatoes (or Yukon Gold), scrubbed
• 3 ají amarillo peppers (fresh, or 4 tbsp ají amarillo paste)
• 200g (7 oz) fresh white cheese (queso fresco or ricotta)
• 120ml (1/2 cup) evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 6 soda crackers (gluten-free variety) — for thickening
• Salt to taste
• Crisp lettuce leaves, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and black olives to serve
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in well-salted water for 20–25 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel and slice into 1cm rounds.
2. If using fresh ají amarillo peppers, halve them, remove seeds and veins (wear gloves), and briefly sauté in a dry pan for 3 minutes to soften. If using paste, proceed directly to step 3.
3. In a blender, combine the ají amarillo (or paste), queso fresco, evaporated milk, oil, garlic, crackers, and a good pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth and pourable. Adjust seasoning.
4. Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter. Lay sliced potatoes over the lettuce.
5. Pour the huancaína sauce generously over the potatoes. Garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs, black olives, and parsley.
6. Serve at room temperature.

Cook's Notes: The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated; stir before using as it may thicken. Ají amarillo paste is widely available in Latin American grocery stores. The crackers act as an emulsifier — use gluten-free crackers to keep the dish fully gluten-free.