Llapingachos con Salsa de Mani

Ingredients

• 1.2kg floury potatoes
• 1 white onion
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp achiote (annatto) powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 250g queso fresco or firm mozzarella
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Sea salt and black pepper
• For the peanut sauce: 150g smooth peanut butter, unsweetened
• 1 small onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 300ml whole milk
• 1 tsp achiote powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• To serve: 4 eggs
• 4 chorizo sausages
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 red onion and 2 tomatoes, for the curtido
• 2 limes

Before you cook

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks
• Grate the queso fresco coarsely
• Finely dice the white onion for the cakes and the small onion for the sauce
• Slice the red onion paper thin and dice the tomatoes for the curtido
• Squeeze the limes over the sliced red onion and tomato with a pinch of salt and leave it to sit

Steps

1. Boil the potatoes in well salted water for 20 minutes, until completely tender.
2. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry in the colander for 5 minutes.
3. Mash the potatoes smooth without any milk or butter, because a wet mash will not hold its shape on the griddle.
4. Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan and stir in the achiote powder until it turns bright orange.
5. Fry the diced white onion in the orange oil for 8 minutes with the cumin, until soft and sweet.
6. Scrape the achiote onion into the mashed potato along with the flour, then season it well with salt and pepper.
7. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is uniform and comes together like a dough, then let it cool completely.
8. Divide the potato into 8 balls and flatten each into a thick disc in your palm.
9. Put a spoonful of grated cheese in the centre of each disc, then close the potato around it and pat it back into a patty about 2cm thick.
10. Chill the patties on a tray for 20 minutes so they firm up.
11. Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil for the sauce in a small pan and soften the small onion and garlic for 6 minutes.
12. Stir in the achiote powder, then whisk in the peanut butter and milk.
13. Simmer the sauce for 6 minutes, whisking, until it is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, then season it and keep it warm.
14. Fry the chorizo in a dry pan over medium heat for 8 minutes, turning, until cooked through, then set them aside and keep the pan.
15. Wipe the pan, add a film of oil and put it over medium heat.
16. Griddle the patties in batches for 4 minutes on the first side, until a deep golden crust forms and they release easily.
17. Turn them carefully and griddle the second side for 4 minutes.
18. Fry the eggs in a separate pan until the whites are set and the yolks still run.
19. Put two llapingachos on each warm plate and ladle the peanut sauce over them.
20. Add a chorizo, a fried egg, slices of avocado and a pile of the drained curtido to each plate, then serve at once.