Papa a la Huancaina
Encyclopedia
Papa a la Huancaína is the capital of the Junín Region, in the central highlands of Peru. It is located in Junín Province, of which it is also capital. Situated near the Mantaro Valley at an altitude of 3,271 meters, it has a population of 377,000 and is the fifth most populous city of the...
style potatoes) is a Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian salad of boiled yellow potatoes (similar to the Yukon Gold potato
Yukon Gold potato
Yukon Gold is a large variety of potato most distinctly characterized by its smooth eye free skin and yellow tinged flesh. This variety of potato was developed in 1960’s by G. R. Johnston and R.G. Rowberry in Guelph, Ontario, Canada at the University of Guelph...
es) in a spicy, creamy sauce called Huancaína sauce. Although the dish's name is derived from Huancayo, a city in the Peruvian highlands, it has become a staple of everyday and holiday cuisine throughout the country.
It is typically served cold as a starter over lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
leaves and garnished with black olives, white corn kernels and hard boiled egg quarters.
The sauce is made of fresh white cheese (Queso fresco-similar to feta
Feta
Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
or lumpy farmers cheese), vegetable oil, aji amarillo
Ají pepper
Capsicum baccatum is a species of chili pepper that includes the following cultivar and varieties:*Aji amarillo, or amarillo chili*Peppadew*Lemon drop*Bishop's Crown*Brazilian Starfish*Wild Baccatum-Origins and distribution:The C...
(yellow Peruvian pepper), evaporated milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
mixed in a blender. Some recipes call for garlic, onion and crushed saltines.
In the south of Peru (Cuzco, Puno
Puno
Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
, Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
) it is served with ocopa rather than Huancaína sauce, made from freshly toasted peanuts, fried onions and tomatoes, aji amarillo, cream or condensed milk, crushed crackers or dried bread, salt, and huacatay (Tagetes minuta
Tagetes minuta
Tagetes minuta, also known as Stinking Roger or black mint, a tall upright marigold plant from the genus Tagetes with small flowers, and is native to the southern half of South America...
).
Because it is served cold Papa a la Huancaina is a favorite food of Peruvians to take on picnics and trips.
Ingredients:
8 yellow or white potatoes
Huancaína sauce (see "related recipes")
Lettuce leaves
2 hard-boiled eggs
8 large black olives, halved
Preparation:
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling and add the potatoes.
Boil potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork.
Drain water from potatoes and let cool.
Slice potatoes and arrange on top of the lettuce leaves.
Pour huancaína sauce over potatoes, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg and black olive halves.
Serves 4 to 6.
Notes:
1) For a slightly "sweeter" Huanícana sauce, use ricotta
Ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian dairy product made from sheep milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Although typically referred to as ricotta cheese, ricotta is not properly a cheese because it is not produced by coagulation of casein...
cheese instead of queso fresco.
2) For lower carb, substitute cauliflower for the potatoes.