Papas Doradas y Choclo Anticuchero
La Pollada del Fin de Semana (The Weekend Gatherings)
A heavy cast-iron skillet goes on the flame, supermarket Yukon golds drop into the fat, the oil hisses, channeling a Peruvian weekend pollada where the air hangs thick with the smoke of ají panca and garlic hitting hot coals. Skewered meats pull focus, but gelatinized potatoes are seared in the residual drippings of the meat, giant kernels of starchy corn steeping in anise and sugar before taking on a smoky marinade. To bring this Lima weekend to an Ohio Tuesday night, let the pan get smoking hot, and don't flip the potatoes until the skins shatter.
Before you start
Get two pots of water boiling on the stove immediately.
Running the potatoes and the choclo simultaneously is the key to keeping this firmly in weeknight territory.
Use glass or metal mixing bowls.
Ají panca possesses a deep red pigment that will permanently stain plastic containers.
Ingredients
- frozen Peruvian choclo3 small
- white sugar1 tbsp
- anise seeds1 tbsp
- lemon1/2 med
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- Yukon Gold potatoes1 1/2 lb
- neutral oil4 tbsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- ají panca paste4 tbsp
- red wine vinegar1 1/2 tbsp
- garlic paste1 tbsp
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- soy sauce1 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Whisk together the salsa anticuchera and let it rest.
In a glass or metal bowl, combine the ají panca paste, red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil, garlic paste, cumin, oregano, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper, letting it sit to mellow the raw garlic.
- 02
Boil the whole potatoes until completely tender but not falling apart.
Drop the unpeeled potatoes into a pot of salted boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes until a fork pierces them easily, then drain, cool slightly, and cut into thick wedges.
- 03
Boil the choclo in a bath of anise, sugar, and citrus.
Bring a second pot of water to a boil and add the sugar, anise seeds, lemon juice, and salt to keep the kernels bright white and enhance their subtle flavor, then boil the choclo for 10 to 15 minutes before draining and cutting into 2-inch rounds.
- 04
Sear the basted choclo in a hot skillet.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, generously brush the boiled corn with the salsa anticuchera, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the marinade caramelizes and the edges char slightly.
- 05
Fry the potatoes in the residual pan drippings.
Leaving the leftover ají panca flavor in the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter, then fry the potato wedges undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side to develop a blistered, golden crust.
Notes
Use jarred ají panca paste to save time on a weeknight.
Rehydrating and blending whole dried pods is labor-intensive; the jarred paste delivers a nearly identical smoky, berry-like flavor profile and is widely accepted even in Peruvian kitchens.
Do not substitute standard American sweet corn for choclo.
Peruvian choclo has massive, starchy kernels that act as a sponge for the savory marinade; sweet corn lacks the structural integrity and clashes with the deeply earthy flavors of the anticucho sauce.
From Cook Peruvian in America.