Potatoes are a cornerstone of the Peruvian diet, and for good reason: They have been cultivated in the Andes for more than 8,000 years, and the country boasts a whopping 3,000 varieties of the tuber, which comes in a myriad of shapes, colors, and sizes. In the regional capital of Huancayo, creamy, gently spiced cheese sauce is usually poured over the potatoes or served as a dip. To really highlight the potatoes (purple-fleshed ones look especially dramatic), we serve them over the sauce, with accompaniments of lime and meaty olives.
Potatoes and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately. Bring to room temperature before serving (sauce will be very thick; stir and thin with additional milk if desired).
Recipe information
Total Time
45 min
Yield
8 (first course or side dish) servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cover potatoes with water in a medium pot and season well with salt, then briskly simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool, then peel.
Step 2
Meanwhile, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then blend with remaining ingredients in a blender until very smooth and thicker than heavy cream (if necessary, thin with milk). Season with salt.
Step 3
Cut potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Step 4
Spoon some sauce onto 8 small plates, then top with sliced potatoes. Serve remaining sauce on the side.
What to drink:
Step 5
Concha y Toro Terrunyo
Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc '07
Recipe notes
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Taste the rainbow.
