This recipe comes to us via Ray Seraphin, our Albany, California, store manager.
It's our twist on a classic Peruvian side dish, Papa a la Huancaina: a spicy, creamy potato salad that derives its flavor from salty cheese (cotija in this recipe) and fruity aji amarillo chiles. Serve with grilled chicken for a fast weeknight meal with friends or bring to your next family cookout. The sauce also works beautifully as a Tex-Mex queso replacement for nachos or tacos.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
⅓ cup of neutral oil, divided
2-3 pounds fingerling or creamer potatoes, rinsed, patted dry, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons ground aji amarillo
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
warm water
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup cotija (sub parmesan)
½ cup cup whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
Chile Limón (to garnish)
cilantro, rough chopped (to garnish)
lime wedges (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. While oven comes to temp, rinse and pat dry potatoes. Slice potatoes in half, toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of neutral oil, salt, and pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet and place in the middle rack. Set the timer for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray after 10 minutes.
While potatoes are roasting, prepare sauce. Portion ground aji amarillo and granulated garlic into a small bowl and slowly whisk in warm water until a paste forms.
Add aji paste, mayonnaise, cotija, whole milk, salt, and pepper into a blender. Blend on low, slowly drizzling in the rest of your oil. Once oil has been incorporated, turn the blender on high until a smooth purée is formed.
Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
Toss potatoes with aji sauce. Use as much of the sauce as you like, reserving the rest for future use. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with Chile Limòn, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Reserve leftover sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
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