The third graders peeled hard-boiled eggs together for papas ocopa.
Inspired by Michelle Obama’s call for chefs to volunteer at their local schools, chef and mom Karin Endy taught her son’s third-grade class at P.S. 230 in Kensington world cuisines and cooking. This potato salad recipe came from their Peruvian unit. See the full story, “From Chef to Classroom,” here.
Papas Ocopa, Adapted from Larousse de la Gastronimia Peruana, by Gaston Acurio
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
1 tbsp cooking oil (Canola or Light Olive Oil)
5 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
5 aji mirasol (substitute dried New Mexico chiles)
½ cup roasted peanuts
2 huacatay leaves (substitute 2 leaves each of mint, cilantro and basil)
2 oz. queso fresco (crumbly white cheese)
12 oz. can evaporated milk
Potatoes
2.5 lbs. papas amarilla (substitute Yukon gold)
Garnish
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half
1/2 cup black olives, sliced and pitted
PROCEDURE
For the potatoes:
Peel the potatoes. Boil in salted water until a paring knife cuts them easily. Remove potatoes and place in cold water until cool.
For the eggs:
Hard boil eggs: place egg in saucepan just covered with cold water. When the water begins to boil, cook the eggs for 11 minutes. Remove eggs from pan and cool in cold water. Peel the eggs and slice in half.
For the sauce:
Soak the dried chile peppers in warm water until soft. Remove seeds and veins. Saute the garlic and onion in oil until clear. Put all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth, adding evaporated milk until smooth and the sauce pours easily. (You’ll use most but not all of the can.)
Serve whole potatoes on a bed of lettuce with hard-boiled eggs and black olives on the side. Pour sauce over potatoes.
