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Escribano
Escribano: Arequipa's roughly crushed potato salad with rocoto, tomato, vinegar and oil
Mid-morning in Arequipa's traditional picanterías, before the big plates come out, regulars order escribano: a bowl of warm yellow potato crushed with a fork and drenched in rocoto, ripe tomato, vinegar and oil. Local lore says it was a snack for the court clerks (escribanos) who worked nearby, and it is still eaten as a sharp, spicy wake-up with a glass of chicha or a soft drink. The texture should be rough and juicy, somewhere between a salad and a mash, with the red chilli bright against the potato. Don't purée it: overworked potato goes gluey and loses the chunks that hold the dressing. Rocoto is fiercely hot, so start with half and taste. Serve it alone with crusty bread, or beside fried cheese or grilled vegetables. Chef's tip: dress the potatoes the moment they are drained and peeled, while they are steaming, so they drink in the vinegar.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cover 1 ¾ lb yellow potatoes with cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender right through, 20–25 minutes.
25 minStep 2: While they cook, mix 1 rocoto, 2 tomatoes, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 4 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and leave to soak. Wear gloves for the rocoto or wash your hands well afterwards.
Step 3: Drain and peel the potatoes while hot, holding them in a clean cloth, then drop them into the bowl in large pieces.
Step 4: Crush them with a fork into rough chunks, folding them into the dressing as you go, until the potato has soaked up most of the liquid but still has plenty of lumps.
Step 5: Fold in 2 tbsp parsley, taste for salt and vinegar, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does escribano take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of yellow potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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