Papa a la Huancaína (Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)

Method

1. Scrub the potatoes and put them whole, skins on, in a 18 cm pot. Cover with cold water by 2 cm and add the salt. Bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for 22 min, until a knife slides into the centre without resistance. Drain and let them cool a little.

   Add in this stepYellow waxy potatoes 500 gSalt (for the cooking water) 1½ tsp

   high heat→medium heat

2. Meanwhile put the eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil on high heat. Once boiling, cook for 10 min, then move them to cold water. Peel and cut into halves or quarters.

   Add in this stepEggs 1

   high heat

3. For the sauce, roughly chop the onion and garlic. Heat half the oil in a small frying pan on medium-low heat and gently cook the onion, garlic and ají amarillo paste for 4 min, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned. This takes the raw edge off the chilli.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion 25 gGarlic cloves 1Ají amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chilli) 2 tbsp

   medium-low heat

4. Tip everything into a blender with the crumbled cheese, evaporated milk, broken crackers, the rest of the oil and the salt. Blend for 1 min until completely smooth and about as thick as yoghurt. Too thick: add a splash of milk; too thin: add another cracker. Taste for salt. For a single serving, a stick blender in a tall cup works better than a large blender.

   Add in this stepQueso fresco (or mild feta, rinsed) 100 gEvaporated milk 80 mlSaltine crackers 2Vegetable oil 1 tbspSalt 1 pinch

5. Peel the potatoes (the skin slips off easily while they are warm) and cut them into 1.5 cm thick rounds. Line a plate with lettuce, arrange the potatoes on top and spoon the sauce generously over them. Finish with the egg and olives. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

   Add in this stepLettuce leaves 3Black olives (botija or Kalamata) 4