Serves a Crowd
José Pizarro's Salt-Crusted Potatoes with Cilantro Mojo
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44 Reviews
Lucy C.
May 17, 2021
I had unbelievably high hopes for this recipe but unfortunately it wasn't to be... they're nigh unbearably salty. We ended up all but rinsing them to try and get some excess off after rubbing them (as suggested) failed, and it was still a wash-out. The sauce was fine! Nothing to write home about, though, and it didn't do nearly enough to cut the salt.
LCMiles
January 7, 2020
This recipe is excellent and worked well, but I would probably cut the garlic next time in the sauce for my husband, who likes raw garlic but not overpowering. Maybe I just had a small batch of cilantro and need more of that to counter.
Jenica
January 30, 2019
I am pleading with every cookbook author, food blogger, and food website. PLEASE, for the sanity of your readers in Texas (and, I imagine, the rest of the southwest) can you be more specific about "green chili pepper"? The amount of time I have spent staring at the wall of chili peppers that is standard in Texas supermarkets, stressing out about which of the at least 7 types of chili peppers that are green (because none of them are called "green chili pepper") you might mean, is too much. Even just mentioning whether it should be mild/sweet, medium, or spicy would be so helpful. Thanks!
mizerychik
August 30, 2021
I'm in the Northeast, and even up here "green chili pepper" is way too vague. I have serranos, jalapenos, and poblanos all in my garden right now, and their heat level varies wildly.
Titi
January 11, 2019
Wow! I got the Genius Recipes cookbook as a Christmas present from my husband (yay!!), and made these potatoes last night: after tasting them I just wanted to message all my friends and tell them about this recipe! All the family loved them, I am sure we will be making them very often!
RavensFeast
November 16, 2018
This recipe changed the game on fingerling potatoes. Timing is important in order to serve these at their best: taut skinned, piping hot and creamy. I love serving them with brava sauce and aioli. Don’t be tempted to crowd the pan - only a single layer will produce evenly cooked taters. As well, a heavy-bottomed pot and like-sized potatoes are recommended.
bhilz
April 9, 2018
I had tried the salty shallow-boil technique a few times and found the resulting potatoes unevenly cooked and underwhelming. BUT THEN one night I lost patience, drained the potatoes after they were par-boiled and just fork tender, and then in the same pan (now dried) sauteed them in olive oil. Served with the cilantro mojo and people FREAKED OUT. This dish is fantastic because it meets virtually every dietary restriction (easily adaptable for non-cilantro people), and is always a hit.
Irene
July 18, 2018
Hi bhilz, I suggest you to try slightly smashing the potatoes with a wide spatula after par-boiling them...just so until the skin begins to break and they have a flat surface on both sides. Then sautee them in olive oil. The flat surface will crisp better.
btglenn
June 24, 2016
I just made and used the sauce on roast chicken. Lovely. Using it it on overly salty potatoes seems like such a waste.
Grace
December 20, 2015
Just made these and LOVED them. The most tender and crisp little salt nuggets. Enjoyed with grilled steak and yes, the MOJO sauce is 100% necessary.
Ruthan
November 8, 2015
Might finally be time for me to ask the local wine bar what kind of salt they put on their truffle fries -- it's got a certain tang to it that I bet this would really show off.
bookdwarf
August 31, 2015
Made these last night and served with a roasted 1/2 chicken that I put a garlic/lemon zest compound butter under the skin. The mojo sauce paired perfectly with both. So delicious!
Shanzie
March 10, 2015
I'm not a huge fan of these. They cooked up as described but the taste was nothing special. Just salty.
melissa
September 2, 2014
What a simple yet amazing way to make potatoes! The salt perfectly coats the outside of the potato, and for the cilantro lovers out there - you can't go wrong with this dipping sauce. I used serrano pepper and it was the perfect amount of heat (IMO anyway). Def making this a staple.
RavensFeast
April 5, 2014
I'm so glad you shared this recipe, it is stellar! I used to enjoy a lot of potatoes with Mojo Picon in Spain, but never did I learn the salt water evaporation technique. I've made the recipe a few times now and have found that timing is relevant in terms of service. Their magic diminished a bit once they cooled (though, still good!), but served piping hot, they were pure bliss. I'm going to venture to guess that Torrisi's Spicy Sauce would be another winning accompaniment (perhaps with a dollop of homemade aioli - Patatas Bravas style!): http://food52.com/recipes/20017-torrisi-s-spicy-sauce
Montserrat
November 29, 2013
This way of cooking the potatoes comes fron canary islands. Its our traditional dish called : papas arrugadas. And we served with a Sauce called mojo picón .
Patti L.
September 12, 2013
Wondering if regular sea salt (large granule) or kosher flakes would work the same. Might be a dumb question but I'm not a pro!
Kristen M.
September 12, 2013
They'll both work! They both dissolve in the water, which then evaporates to form the crust. The same volume of finer grain salts will be saltier than larger grain salts, but you end up leaving a lot of salt behind in the pan anyway, so the difference in saltiness is somewhat negligible.
melbelgibson
August 9, 2013
Just made this! This sauce is so good that my husband and I were trying to find things to dump it on! And the potatoes are so deliciously salty and wonderfully buttery on this inside. Fantastic!
Mak
June 25, 2013
The sauce is very good and can be used with other items, not just potatoes as mentioned by others. The one thing I do not like about the skin from the peppers. Does anyone know a easy way to peal the peppers?
Beth C.
June 26, 2013
You can roast the peppers over an open flame on your stove or under a broiler until blistered. Then put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 min. The skins should rub right off. It will change the flavor a bit, but should work well.
Irene
July 18, 2018
I recommend you the same idea as Beth's but instead of using plastic wrap, just place a shallow plate or "tight" lid on top of the bowl
aquarius
June 13, 2013
Another great excuse to eat (Idaho!) potatoes. Served them with grilled burgers and left half the burger so I could consume more potatoes. So easy and failure-proof.
sansan123
June 12, 2013
tried the mojo with grilled steak tonight. It rockd and the hubby is thrilled to be eating herbs from garden. Served with Merrills mint and chile zucchini plus a side salad of tomatoes nd avocado
za'atar
June 9, 2013
These were good, but a little underwhelming compared to some of food52's killer recipes. I used waxy new potatoes and might try a different variety next time to get a bit of crunch from the skin. The "mojo" was good and I'd like to try it on a meat dish.
Wayne D.
June 3, 2013
Why must you americans always rename traditional dishes this isn't mojo it is "pebre" both in Spain and Latin America
Lindars77
June 20, 2013
Why must you non-Ameicans always come off so pretentious? Mojo sauce has many names and variations originating in a number of different countries including, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic...and more.
Sherri J.
September 16, 2015
In Spain, and specifically the Canary Islands, this dish is "Papas Arrugadas con mojo verde”.
Suzy's M.
March 28, 2018
Why must you be insulting? Do you feel better about yourself if you point out”errors “. Which they are not.
Marna
June 3, 2013
I had to make these but of course, had no cilantro and a doe giving birth, so I didn't want to run to the store. Substituted Italian parsley, used some fresh cracked black pepper, half of the cumin, added fresh thyme and oregano and used Trader Joe's orange muscat champagne vinegar. OMG!!!!!!! Served with prime rib. Mojo was great with the potatoes and the meat. My hubby, the horseradish addict was all over the mojo. Can't wait to try the recipe with the actual ingredients, but will definitely do this variation again. It will probably go well with the goat cheese I'll be making in a few weeks.
cheesypennies
June 3, 2013
We made these for dinner tonight with potatoes from the farmer's market. Delicious, and uber easy!
PaulaE
June 2, 2013
I'm one of those genetically-challenged cilantro haters. I often use Italian parsley instead, or basil. Any thoughts on substitutions?
Barb168
June 2, 2013
You could go with a number of herbs such as thyme, dill, basil, or combinations of herbs - whatever tastes good with potatoes!
Kerryloves2travel
June 2, 2013
Wow! Can't wait to try this. I might even serve it as a side dish with BBQ ribs. Easy & looks super flavorful.
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