Campfire Skillet Ecuadorian Llapingachos with Farmers-Market Tomato Onion Salsa

Set a grate over a steady bed of campfire coals and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the potatoes until a knife slides through easily, 15 to 18 minutes, then drain well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons annatto oil (or olive oil warmed with 1 teaspoon paprika)
• 1 small white onion, finely minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/4 cups shredded queso fresco or mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 large ripe farmers-market tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, slivered and rinsed in cold water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 4 large eggs, for frying (optional)
• Neutral oil, for the skillet

Instructions

1. Set a grate over a steady bed of campfire coals and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the potatoes until a knife slides through easily, 15 to 18 minutes, then drain well.
2. Mash the hot potatoes until smooth, working in the annatto oil, minced white onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let the mixture cool until you can handle it comfortably.
3. Knead in the flour, then divide into 8 balls. Press a hollow into each, pack in a generous tablespoon of cheese, and seal the potato around it before flattening into a 3-inch patty.
4. Combine the diced tomatoes, slivered red onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl with a good pinch of salt. Let this salsa sit while you cook so the juices pool.
5. Slick a cast-iron skillet with oil and set it over the coals until a drop of water dances. Cook the patties in batches, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until a deep golden crust forms and the cheese pulls when torn.
6. Move the finished llapingachos to the edge of the grate to stay warm. If you want eggs, add a little more oil and fry them right in the same skillet, basting with hot fat until the whites set.
7. Pile two patties on each plate, spoon over the tomato salsa, and tuck avocado slices and an egg alongside.
8. Llapingachos are Andean market food at heart, sold hot off flat griddles in Ecuadorian highland towns where potatoes have been cultivated for thousands of years. Cooking them over a campfire is closer to the original than any kitchen stove, and August is exactly the moment to make them, when tomatoes are heavy and sweet enough that the salsa needs nothing but lime and salt to cut the richness of the cheese-filled cakes.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 540 kcal
• Protein: 18g
• Fat: 27g
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Fiber: 7g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 790mg