German Meatballs on Cheesy Potato Cakes

Prep Peel and dice potato into 3cm cubes. Finely dice half the onion for the meatballs, slice the other half thin for the sauce. Mince 2 garlic cloves for the meatballs and 2 for the sauce. Soak panko in 3 tbsp milk for 5 minutes until softened. Grate mozzarella. Mince aji amarillo. Pulse peanuts to a coarse rubble. Slice avocado. Pick cilantro leaves.

Boil Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add potato and simmer 15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and mash with 0.25 tsp salt until smooth.

Build 1 Knead beef with diced onion, meatball garlic, soaked panko, meatball egg, Dijon, marjoram, 0.5 tsp salt, and pepper for 90 seconds until tacky and uniform. Roll into 6 walnut-sized meatballs with wet hands.

Build 2 Fold grated mozzarella into mashed potato until evenly distributed. Shape into 3 thick discs roughly 8cm across.

Sear Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high 60 seconds. Add meatballs and brown 6 minutes turning often, until each side is deep mahogany. Lift to a plate.

Build 3 In the same skillet over medium, add 1 tbsp olive oil with sliced onion and cook 3 minutes until soft. Stir in sauce garlic, aji amarillo, achiote, sweet paprika, and peanut rubble 60 seconds. Pour in 80ml water and lime juice, reduce to low, and simmer 4 minutes until the sauce turns deep amber and clings to a spoon.

Plate Wipe a clean skillet, add 1 tbsp neutral oil, and cook potato cakes over medium 3 minutes per side until edges turn golden and crisp. Lift to a plate. Crack frying egg into the skillet with 1 tbsp neutral oil over medium-low and fry 3 minutes until whites set and yolk runs. Stack meatballs on the potato cakes, spoon aji peanut sauce generously across, slide the egg on top, lay avocado alongside, and scatter cilantro.