Ingredients

• 1/2 kg. (~1 lb.) dried yellow potatoes (amber in color)
• 3 tbsp. butter or oil
• 1 red onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• pepper (to taste)
• cumin (to taste)
• 1/2 kg. (~1 lb.) pork (shoulder or belly), cubed
• 1/2 kg. (~1 lb.) chicken, cubed
• 2 tbsp. aji panca paste (or much less of rocoto paste)
• 1 tbsp. aji amarillo paste
• 2 small cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp. port
• 2 tbsp. Pisco [CP: can sub tequila, in a pinch]
• 1/2 c. unsalted, roasted peanuts, ground medium-fine in a spice grinder
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 6 butter or vanilla cookies, crushed
• 1 piece dark chocolate (or drinking chocolate), grated

If you don’t have aji panca paste, it is much milder than either aji amarillo or rocoto; for instance, a good replacement for 1 tbsp. aji amarillo + 2 tbsp. aji panca is around 1 1/2 tbsp. aji amarillo, or perhaps 2 tbsp. for a spicier dish. (I haven’t tried the rocoto substitution yet.)

Preparation

Wipe off the dried potatoes with a damp cloth, and toast them in a pan without oil for several minutes until they change to a dark golden color. Cover them with water and let stand overnight (or at least two hours). Drain, and wash them several times, until the water runs clear.

Fry the red onion in the oil/butter, until it is almost golden. Add the garlic, pepper, cumin, pork, chicken, aji pastes, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Let all brown and then cover with water and cook for around 10 minutes. Add the drained dried potatoes and boil until the potatoes are almost tender, about 40-60 minutes.

Add the port, Pisco, peanuts, broth, and butter/vanilla cookies (in pieces small enough that they dissolve when cooked). Cook for 15 or 20 minutes over a low heat. Stir occasionally until the potatoes are cooked. Add the chocolate, and let stand before serving. Serve with white rice.

Translated by me from Bibliotecas Virtuales

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, divided
• 6 tablespoons annatto oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 6 ounces Münster cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)

Preparation

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium pot, then stir in 1 teaspoon salt and simmer until very tender, about 18 minutes.

While potatoes simmer, cook garlic and 1/3 cup scallions in 2 tablespoons annatto oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cumin and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomato and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a bare simmer, then remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until combined well. Keep peanut sauce warm, covered, off heat.

Drain potatoes, then mash in a bowl.

Cook remaining 1/2 cup scallions with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons annatto oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until scallions are softened, then stir into potatoes along with cheese. Form potato mixture into 8 balls and flatten each into a 3-inch patty.

Heat 1 tablespoon annatto oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then fry cakes in 2 batches, turning over once, until crusty, about 6 minutes per batch. Add remaining tablespoon annatto oil for second batch.

Gently reheat peanut sauce, thinning to a creamy consistency with a little water if necessary. Season sauce with salt and serve with potato cakes.

Gourmet, September 2007

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup canola oil, plus more for frying
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4″-thick sticks
• 2 1/2 lb. mussels, debearded and scrubbed
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 leeks, light green and white parts, cut into 1/4″-thick slices
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Preparation

Make the mayonnaise: In a large bowl, whisk mustard and egg yolk. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil in a thin stream until it begins to emulsify; whisk in vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Make the fries: Pour oil into a 6-qt. Dutch oven to a depth of 2″, and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fries to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; chill.

Increase oil temperature to 385°. Working in batches, add chilled potatoes and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, return fries to rack; season with salt.

Meanwhile, make the mussels: Heat a 12", high-sided skillet over high heat. Add mussels, wine, butter, celery, leeks, and onions; season with salt and pepper, and cover skillet. Cook, occasionally shaking skillet, until all mussels are opened, about 5 minutes. Divide mussels between 2 large bowls. Serve with fries and mayonnaise.

Variations

To take the flavor of moules frites in different directions, omit the wine and add one of the following ingredients to the pan with the mussels, butter, celery, leeks, and onion: 1 tablespoon blanched, minced garlic and 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon curry powder; 1 tablespoon piment d’Espelette; 1 tbsp. Pernod; 2/3 cup wheat beer.

Saveur

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. clarified butter
• 3 lb. potatoes
• salt
• pepper

Preparation

Layer thinly sliced potatoes in a circle pattern, brushing with butter and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Drizzle the extra butter over the top when you’re done. Cover w/ foil and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and press with a spatula. Bake uncovered for 30 more minutes. Drain off the extra butter, invert out of the pan, and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 pound russet potatoes
• 2 10-ounce packages ready-to-use spinach leaves, stemmed
• 1 small egg, beaten to blend
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups (about) all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 5 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced

Preparation

Steam potatoes until very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool potatoes slightly and peel. Mash potatoes in large bowl until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 2 inches of salted water to boil in large pot. Add spinach leaves to pot and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain spinach, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from spinach. Puree spinach in processor, adding reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary to help puree and scraping down sides of processor bowl occasionally.

Transfer spinach mixture to bowl with potatoes. Mix in egg, ground nutmeg and enough flour until soft and slightly sticky dough forms. Season dough to taste with salt.

Dust baking sheet with flour. Working in batches and using floured hands, roll 1/4 cup dough on lightly floured work surface to form 12-inch rope. Cut rope into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece between palms to form oval ball. Lightly flour the wires of a whisk. Using thumb, gently roll each ball down length of wires, making ribbed impressions in gnocchi. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet. Repeat rolling, cutting and shaping of remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13x9-inch baking dish. Working in batches, add gnocchi to large pot of boiling salted water and cook until gnocchi rise to surface of water, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove gnocchi from water, draining off excess, and transfer to prepared baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over gnocchi; toss thoroughly to coat. Top with Fontina cheese slices. (Gnocchi can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bake until gnocchi are heated through and cheese bubbles, about 10 minutes.

Bon Appetit, May 1997