ensalada de papas a la huancaina (peruvian-style salad with potato cake, egg, and yellow chile)

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

Huancaina sauce ingredients:

• 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