Papas Huancaino

This is a take on a popular potato dish from the highlands of Peru. It strays from more traditional recipes because it has been adapted to use more easy-to-find ingredients, but it is still a very tasty and spicy dish -- originally from the Andes mountain town of Huancayo.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  small lemon, juiced
• 1  teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1  medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 1 1⁄2 cups  grated monterey jack cheese or 1 1⁄2 cups muenster cheese, preferred
• 2  fresh jalapeno peppers, halved,seeds and stems removed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 -1 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 8  leaves bibb lettuce (Boston)
• 8  medium potatoes, boiled,peeled,and halved lengthwise
• 4  hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
• 1⁄2 cup sweetcorn
• 1⁄2 cup  sliced black olives

Directions

1. In a ceramic bowl, combine the lemon juice, ground chile, salt, black pepper, and the onion slices.
2. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
3. In a blender puree the cheese, fresh chiles, turmeric, and the cream.
4. If the mixture seems too thick, add more cream, a little at a time.
5. Heat the oil in a skillet.
6. Pour in the cheese-cream mixture and reduce the heat to very low.
7. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and thick and creamy.
8. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter or on individual plates.
9. Top the leaves with the potatoes, cut side down, and pour the sauce over the potatoes.
10. Garnish the platter or plates with the eggs, corn slices, and the olives.
11. Drain the onion rings and mop up any excess with paper towels.
12. Arrange the onion rings over the potatoes.