Papa a la Huancaína

 THIS is a fantastic recipe from Peru:
Potatoes in a fresh cheese and chili pepper sauce!

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1kg potatoes (preferably yellow if available)

6 fresh chili peppers OR 1 TBSP ground aji

250 g fresh white cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese are good choices)

1/2 red onion

1/2 c vegetable oil
4 saltine crackers

1 c evaporated milk, canned

1/2 TBSP fresh lime juice (or sour orange juice)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved

lettuce leaves

8 black olives, pitted

Preparation:

1. Boil and peel potatoes

2. Wash chili peppers to make them milder (Note: to make hot chilies mild, seed and devein peppers and wash in cold water. In  bowl, cover chilies with boiling water and soak for a few minutes; rinse and repeat three times changing hot water every time.)
3. Sauté onions and peppers until soft.

3.In a blender, mix together chilies, oil, cheese, milk, crackers, lime juice, onion, salt and pepper, until smooth and medium thick.

4. Cut potatoes in thick slices, place them over the lettuce leaves on a platter, top with cheese sauce and decorate with black olives and halved hard boiled eggs.

Serve cold and ENJOY!!!