Peruvian Cheesy Potato Soup With Spicy Herb Sauce

Name: Peruvian Cheesy Potato Soup With Spicy Herb Sauce
Total time: 13 h 20 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: south american
Ingredients: 4 white chuños (dried potatoes), each about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large (6 to 7 ounces) onion, peeled and chopped; 6 to 7 large cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped fine; 1 large stick of celery, diced; 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped very fine; 8 1/2 to 10 cups water or unsalted chicken stock (if using salted stock, adjust salt in Step 2); 1 3/4 pounds russet potatoes (2 to 4 potatoes, depending on size), peeled and cut roughly into 1-inch dice; 1/2 pound peeled pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice; 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves; 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves; 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves; 3 tablespoons chopped basil leaves; 1/4 pound feta cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes; 3 ounces spinach leaves, stems trimmed away and each leaf halved or quartered; Uchucuta sauce, for serving (see recipe)

By Madhur Jaffrey

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Rating: 4(73)
Comments: Read comments

Chuño, a small bright-white dried potato, adds a slightly earthy taste and chewy texture to this soup. If you cannot find chuños (they look like white pebbles), you can substitute russet potatoes, as detailed in the note here. In Peru, this soup is served with the chile-herb sauce called uchucuta, which adds sour and spicy notes to the broth.

Featured in: The Humble Potato Is Exalted in the Mountains of Peru

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

4white chuños (dried potatoes), each about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter
3tablespoons olive oil
1large (6 to 7 ounces) onion, peeled and chopped
6 to 7large cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1large stick of celery, diced
2medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
11-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped very fine
8½ to 10cups water or unsalted chicken stock (if using salted stock, adjust salt in Step 2)
1¾pounds russet potatoes (2 to 4 potatoes, depending on size), peeled and cut roughly into 1-inch dice
½pound peeled pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice
2¼teaspoons salt, or to taste
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
3tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
3tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
3tablespoons chopped basil leaves
¼pound feta cheese, cut into ⅓-inch cubes
3ounces spinach leaves, stems trimmed away and each leaf halved or quartered
Uchucuta sauce, for serving (see recipe)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
The evening before you cook the soup, wash the chuños and soak them in a large bowl of warm water, enough to cover it by several inches. Leave for 12 hours. Drain the chuños the next day, wash them off again and cut each potato into 8 to 10 parts. In a large pot, combine the chuño pieces with enough cold water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chuños are puffed up and softer, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 2
Put the oil in a large pot (at least 6 quarts) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the onion and garlic. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrot. Stir and cook 3 minutes. Add the ginger and stir a few times. Put in the drained chuños, 8½ cups water or stock, the russet potatoes, pumpkin or squash, salt, herbs and feta. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and cook gently for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Step 3
Add the spinach, stir and cook, covered, on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender but have not turned to mush. Check the salt. Thin the soup out with water or stock if it is too thick. It should be drinkable from the bowl.
Step 4
Put 2 teaspoons of uchucuta sauce into each bowl of hot soup and stir it in. Add more if desired.

Tip

Chuños are sold at grocery stores carrying Peruvian products. If you can't find them, skip Step 1. In Step 2, use about 2¼ pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut roughly into 1-inch dice.

Ratings

4 out of 5

73 user ratings

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Comments

Martha Plaine7 years ago

I don't see the recipe for uchucuta sauce.... Am I missing it?

FRITZ7 years ago

If you go back up to the description of the recipe, follow the link to the article 'The Humble Potato Is Exalted In The Mountains Of Peru' and at the end of that article is a link to the uchucuta sauce.

Amy1 year ago

I make this ON THE REGULAR!! My family loves it, and I typically make a big batch to freeze some. I've actually never used the chuños, just regular potatoes. Once tried to order them online and ended up getting chuño flour! Someday! But we love it as is!

Allie1 year ago

I loved this! Garlic, ginger, briny cheese, herbs -- so flavorful and so nice to eat on a Sunday night. The accompanying sauce is necessary. I used a little too much oregano, my mistake.

Linda3 years ago

This is a hidden gem. A fair amount of prep work with chopping and blending but the results are very satisfying on this winter’s night. It took me an hour to get everything in the pot and the sauce blended. Don’t miss the uchucuta sauce. It changes everything. I did not measure the herbs precisely but eyeballed ratios which worked. One seeded Serrano was plenty for us. This makes a lot! Good thing we like it. Maybe next time use lesser amount of stock.

Jennie1 year ago

Linda's take on this soup is spot on--a hidden gem! The uchacuta sauce is essential. A great early fall meal that put the herbs and veggies in the garden to good use. I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy all of the fresh herbs for this, though. I froze a quart of the soup and some of the sauce and look forward to having an early winter meal with it too!

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