I think the thing I love most about food is its diversity. It’s pretty amazing that each culture has its own flavor – different and distinct from the last. Chicken in one place tastes completely different than chicken in another, simply because of the method and ingredients by which it is cooked. Not to mention the fact that having all these options keeps our lives interesting – Chinese food one night, Mexican the next, occasional American here and there.
As a Texan, I’ve had a lot of Tex-Mex in my time. And when my sister started dating a Peruvian gentleman (born and raised) who went to culinary school, I realized that I had never really explored South American cuisine. I was ecstatic to try it out when he volunteered to cook us an authentic Peruvian dinner. So courtesy of a Peruvian chef, this week’s post is my recreation (with guidance) of Huancaina Sauce – a traditional Peruvian cheese sauce packed with dynamic flavors and an incredibly spicy kick.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup aji Amarillo
1 cup queso fresco
½ cup evaporated milk, add more as needed
Directions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add garlic and aji paste and cook until heated.
- Transfer onion mixture to a blender, add remaining ingredients and blend.
- Blend until combined and sauce is a deep yellow color.
- Add more evaporated milk until mixture is of desired consistency. Add salt if necessary.
- Serve over mildly cooked, sliced potatoes. (You don’t want them to be cooked so long that they are soft and fall apart). Potatoes can be either hot or cold.
*This sauce is a cold dish, and letting it chill in the refrigerator a few hours before being served allows it to develop its flavor.