Carapulcra

Incan Potato, Pork & Peanut Stew with Mint Chimichurri

Carapulcra is a very old, and famous, dish in Peru. The stew is built around native ingredients like ají peppers and potatoes that have been dried in the sun. Papas secas (dried potatoes; see page 27) keep for months and aren’t heavy to carry, and the drying process gives the potatoes a unique earthy flavor. The stew gets its fair share of European, Asian, and also African flavors with garlic, peanuts, and different spices. Everyone has his or her own variation.

Traditionally, dried jerky, usually made from pork, was added to the stew, but I make a meatless version to eat on its own, or with big, fat slices of fried pork belly (what you usually see in Peru today). The chimichurri idea I borrowed from Argentinean cooks, who serve the condiment with grilled meats. They usually use parsley, but a little mint really wakes up all of the flavors. I like my carapulcra potatoes on the chewier, al dente–pasta side instead of fall-apart soft, as my mom used to make them. Instead of pork belly, you can serve the stew with grilled sausage, or for a vegetarian version, leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

• 1 (15-ounce) bag papas secas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 meaty slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons pureed garlic (page 37)
• 3 tablespoons ají panca paste, store-bought or homemade (page 36)
• 2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste, store-bought or homemade (page 34)
• 4 to 5 cups homemade chicken stock (see page 40) or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2½ tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 5 or 6 slices fried pork belly (see page 70), or 2 or 3 meaty, grilled or sautéed link sausages, sliced
• Mint Chimichurri (recipe)

1 Put the papas secas in a medium bowl, add enough water to cover by a good 2 inches, and soak the potatoes for at least 4 to 6 hours, preferably overnight. Drain the potatoes.

2 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, and fry the bacon until beginning to brown but still very tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften and are nicely browned along the edges, a good 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the ají panca and amarillo pastes with a wooden spoon and sauté for another few minutes, until the onions are soft, moving the aderezo (flavorings) back and forth on the bottom of the pan with the spoon.

3 Add the drained potatoes, 4 cups of the stock, and the cinnamon stick to the pot. Stir, bring the stock to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Add a little more stock, ½ cup at a time, if the stew ever begins to look dry, and stir and scrape the bottom of the pot regularly to prevent the potatoes from sticking. When the potatoes are tender-crisp, stir in the peanut butter and season the carapulcra with salt and pepper.

4 Serve the stew family-style, in the cooking pot, with the fried pork belly or sausages on top, or ladle up the stew and meats into individual serving bowls. Drizzle about half of the mint chimichurri on top of the stew and serve any remaining chimichurri on the side.

Mint Chimichurri

Makes about 1 cup

The mint makes the flavors in this chimichurri really pop. In addition to the stew, it would be so good with grilled or roasted lamb or chicken. I use two different types of salt for contrast. The kosher salt almost melts into the sauce, so you get a consistent flavor, and the sea salt holds its shape for more of a crunchy-fresh saltiness on the tip of your tongue.

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender top stems
• ½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped seeded and deveined jalapeños, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons Banyuls or good-quality red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, or to taste
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

Mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, and add more salt and lime juice if needed. The chimichurri should be tangy, with a noticeable saltiness. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.