ensalada de papas a la huancaina
peruvian-style salad with walnut, olive, feta, lime
yellow potato cake with aji amarillo, cilantro
poached egg, huancaina sauce
Starting with some yellow-yellow potatoes I set out to put a new twist on the Peruvian Papas a la Huancaina, a classic potato dish with a spicy cream sauce from the city of Huancayo. The sauce is traditionally made with evaporated milk and vegetable oil, here I lighten the recipe by using non-fat Greek yogurt instead. Rather than slice, I form the potatoes into a cake flavored with the hot fruity aji amarillo paste – and I replace the usual hard-boiled egg garnish with one that is poached taking this from a side dish or first course into a main vegetarian meal.
ensalada de papas a la huancaina recipe
the inspiration
Aji amarillo paste is made from the yellow hot chile native to South America. The flavor is unusual, while it is quite spicy, it is simultaneously fruity and flavorful. The bright yellow-orange color imparts a beautiful hue to sauces and spreads. Try aji amarillo paste mixed with mayonnaise for a change from the ubiquitous chipotle mayo.
the salad
Salad ingredients:
- wild arugula
- chopped walnuts
- chopped kalamata olives
- crumbled feta
- olive oil
- key lime juice
- salt and pepper
the yellow potato cake
Cook skin-on yellow-yellow fleshed Klondike Gourmet potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, then let steam escape. Mash with a potato masher.
Add olive oil, chopped cilantro (or parsley), aji amarillo paste, salt and pepper. Mix together.
Form the potato cakes by oiling a ramekin then filling with the potato mixture, compacting to make a cake. Invert onto the salad.
lite huancaina sauce
- 1/2 c. non-fat greek yogurt
- 1 T. aji amarillo paste
- 1 heaping T. crumbled feta cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 slice whole wheat bread, no crust
- 1 T. key lime juice
- salt
Blend ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor until creamy. Add salt to taste.
the poached egg
Poach eggs in gently boiling water for 3 minutes. Place the poached egg atop the potato cake. Spoon sauce over the egg. Garnish with a slice of olive.
the end of the summer fest season
This Potato dish concludes the Summer Fest line-up. We began the season with Berries, followed by Peas, Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Cucumbers, Peaches, Eggplant, Avocados, Peppers, Figs, Beets, and Grapes. It certainly has been a delicious season!
Summer Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite summertime fruits and vegetables. Be sure to check out the Pinterest Board with over 100,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair! And if this peruvian-style salad got you in the mood for potatoes, you might enjoy taking a peek at other potato-centric recipes from some fabulous bloggers below…
Blue Apron Blog: Red, Orange, Purple and White: Your Guide to the Potato Rainbow
The Heritage Cook: Fully Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins
Devour: 5 Ways to Prepare Sweet Potatoes
Feed Me Phoebe: Basque Tuna Stew with Peppers and Potatoes
Weelicious: Broccoli Cheese Patties
Domesticate Me: Potato Rosti with Pancetta and Mozzarella
The Sensitive Epicure: Salt Encrusted New Potatoes with Mustard-Mayo Dip
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Sweet Potato and Russet Pancakes with Chipotle Mayo
Red or Green: Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
And Love It Too: Sweet Potato Souffle
Taste With The Eyes: Ensalada de Papas a la Huancaina (Peruvian-Style Salad with Potato Cake, Egg and Yellow Chile)
What’s Gaby Cooking: Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Dishin & Dishes: Southern Green Beans and New Potatoes
FN Dish: Ease Out of Summer with Potatoes
I love this dish and often order it when I’m in a Peruvian restaurant. Of course, I admire the ‘lightening up’ and the fresh element of serving it on a salad. Well done, my friend.
Thanks Joan – I need to cook Peruvian more often…thanks for appreciating my twist on the classic.
LL
Potato Cake! You got me right there. This dish is new to me from start to finish. It is beautiful – as alwasys, but I am utterly intrigued by the Peruvian flavors. I know nothing of Peruvian cuisine, save that potatoes, many varieties that we do not see here in Couthern California, play a large part in it. The entire dish is really appealing, and I love the egg on top. You have piqued my curiosity with this beauty!
Lori, if you’re interested on cooking peruvian food more often you should check http://www.yanuq.com, they have the best peruvian food recipes……all of the recipes that i have tried from that website are truly amazing.
Greetings from Lima!
Gracias Claudia – looking forward to checking it out! Love Peruvian food! Hola Lima!
LL