Pacú with Preserved Lemon, Mozzarella Chupe, Andean Potatoes, and Ollucos Sauce

METHOD:

For the Ollucos Sauce:
Sweat the onions in sunflower oil over medium heat. Add the ollucos (blight-resistant, waxy tubers that grow in the Andes) to the pan and cook them until they’re lightly browned. Add the dried chili, turmeric, and pepper, and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the broth to just cover the ollucos, and add the charque. Cook the mixture until little liquid remains, and the sauce thickens. Pass the sauce through a chinois, and reserve.

For the Andean Potatoes:
Blanch the potatoes in boiling, salted water until they are firm-tender. Drain the potatoes, and finish cooking them in a hot clay oven to give them a golden crust. Sprinkle with salt.

For the Mozzarella Chupe:
Sweat the onions in sunflower oil on medium heat, pour in the water, and cook until the water has evaporated. Add the potatoes to the pan, pour in the milk, and cook until all of the milk has been absorbed by the potatoes. Mash the potato mixture; add the butter and more milk if necessary. Stir in the mozzarella to incorporate into the Chupe. (Chupe is Argentine farmers’ fare with high-calorie potatoes, milk, and cheese prepared and mashed in a rough fashion).

For the Pacú:
Preheat an oven to 210°C. Cut the pacú—a white-fleshed, fatty river fish from northeast Argentina—into 4- to 6-ounce portions. Lay them on a lightly oiled sheet tray, and top the fillets with the julienned lemon preserves. Pour a few drops of olive oil over each fillet, and bake the fish for 4 minutes.

To Assemble and Serve:
Plate some of the Chupe, and arrange the Andean Potatoes on top. Plate the Pacú to the side of the potatoes, and finish the plate with the Ollucos Sauce.