2000s Recipes + Menus
Ecuadoran Potato Cakes with Peanut Sauce
Serves4 (side dish)
- Active time:45 min
- Start to finish:1 hr
September 2007
Wait until you try these llapingachos. The name may be hard to pronounce ("yop- in-GAH-chos," if you were wondering), but these mashed-potato patties from the mountains of Ecuador have a crisp exterior and a warm, cheese-laced pillowy middle that might be better served by a word that’s much easier to say: perfecto.
- 1 1/2 lb 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 oz Münster cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
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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.
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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.
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Drain potatoes, then mash in a bowl.
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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.
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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.
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Gently reheat peanut sauce, thinning to a creamy consistency with a little water if necessary. Season sauce with salt and serve with potato cakes.
- Keywords
- latino,
- maggie ruggiero,
- melissa roberts,
- vegetarian,
- quick kitchen
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