Papas a la Huancaina

More About This Recipe

• I have dreams of traveling to faraway lands. But, the reality is I haven't been all that far from home! I write my recipes after going out to different restaurants, trying new dishes from every culture I can find, playing around with different spices, and lots and lots of internet research! The one place I have been is Bermuda. I lived there for a few years, and people just like me were living there from all over the world, working and staying away from home. Meeting people who grew up in other countries was one of my most valuable recipe research tools. I had seasoned taste buds ready and willing to tell me if my food tasted anything like what they were used to back home. My good friend from Peru was a tester on this recipe. Papa a la Huancaina is a Peruvian salad of boiled yellow potatoes in a spicy, creamy sauce. I made it one night and asked him if he thought it tasted like they make it down in Huancayo, a city in Peru (Papa a la Huancaina = Huancayo style potatoes.) “It’s very similar, but also very different” was his reply. I didn’t mind his vague opinion; I was too busy stuffing these delicious cheesy potatoes in my face! This dish is often served cold in Peru, and it is great for a picnic that way. But this time of year I like to warm the sauce a bit and eat it hot with a nice piece of beef (for a twist on meat and potatoes).