Papas arrugadas prove that potatoes do not need much fuss to be brilliant. Simmered in salted water, they emerge soft and fluffy inside, with wrinkled skins and a fine salt crust. Andrew Dickens serves them with a punchy mojo rojo, packed with roasted red pepper, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika, plus a touch of charcoal smoke. They are simple, bold and very hard to stop eating.
This recipe was cooked by Andrew Dickens during his BBQ Around the World masterclass at Charlie Oven.
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 40 minutes
- Resting time: 5 minutes
- Serves: 10 to 12 as a side
- Charlie Oven temperature: 180 to 200°C/356 to 392°F
- Cooking method: Simmering, roasting and drying
- Charlie accessory: Deep roasting tray with lid
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 2kg small new or baby potatoes, evenly sized
- 150g coarse sea salt
- 1kg boiling water, enough to cover the potatoes
For the mojo rojo
- 1 red pepper
- 1 small dried red chilli or cayenne pepper
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a few drops for smoking
- 30ml white wine vinegar
- Sea salt, to taste
Prepare the chilli
Put the dried chilli in a small bowl, cover it with warm water and leave it to soak for 15 minutes. Drain before using.
You can use 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes instead if preferred.
Set up your Charlie Oven
Light around half a football’s worth of good-quality lumpwood charcoal. Bring the Charlie Oven to 180 to 200°C/356 to 392°F.
Place one cooking rack in the lower section, directly above the charcoal, and another around the middle of the oven.
Roast the red pepper
Place the whole pepper on the lower rack and roast until softened and blistered, turning regularly. Transfer it to a covered bowl and leave it to steam for 10 minutes.
Peel away the blackened skin, then remove the stalk and seeds. Roughly chop the pepper and set it aside.
Cook the potatoes
- Scrub the potatoes and arrange them in a single layer in the deep roasting tray. Leave the skins on.
- Pour in enough boiling water to cover them. Add the coarse sea salt and stir until dissolved.
- Put the lid on the tray, leaving it slightly ajar. Place the tray on the lower rack and cook at a strong, steady simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Check the largest potato with a small knife. It should slide through easily.
- Carefully pour away most of the water, leaving 50 to 100ml in the tray.
- Remove the lid and move the tray to the middle rack. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes, until the water has evaporated and the skins are wrinkled with a light salt crust
- Remove the tray, cover it with a clean tea towel and rest the potatoes for 5 minutes.
Make the mojo rojo
- Put the roasted pepper, drained chilli, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Blend to a thick paste.
- With the motor running, add the vinegar, followed by the olive oil in a slow, steady stream.
- Blend until smooth and thickened. Taste and add a little more salt or vinegar if needed.
Add smoke to the mojo rojo
Transfer the mojo rojo to a heatproof bowl and place a small heatproof ramekin in the centre. Using long metal tongs, put a small piece of hot lumpwood charcoal into the ramekin. Do not allow the charcoal to touch the sauce.
Add a few drops of olive oil to the charcoal, cover the bowl immediately and leave it for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the ramekin and charcoal, then stir the mojo rojo.
Serve
Serve the warm, salt-crusted potatoes with the smoky mojo rojo alongside.
Cook’s notes
Use evenly sized waxy potatoes so they cook at the same rate and hold their shape.
Roast the pepper while the potatoes are simmering to keep the total cooking time to around 40 minutes.
If you prefer, leave out the final smoking step. The roasted pepper and smoked paprika will still give the mojo plenty of depth.
Frequently asked questions
What are papas arrugadas?
Papas arrugadas are Canarian potatoes simmered in heavily salted water, then dried until their skins wrinkle and develop a light salt crust.
Do I need to peel the potatoes?
No. Leave the skins on because they create the characteristic wrinkled finish and hold the fine salt crust.
How do I know when the potatoes are ready?
A small knife should slide easily into the largest potato. Once dried, the centres should be soft and fluffy, with wrinkled, lightly salted skins.
Can I make mojo rojo in advance?
Yes. Keep it covered in the fridge, then bring it towards room temperature before serving. Add the charcoal smoke shortly before serving.