Huancaina Sauce
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 3 aji amarillo peppers seeds removed and chopped
- 1 small onion chopper (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 2 cups queso fresco crumbled
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 4 saltine crackers
- 1/4 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mash the chopped garlic into a rough paste.
- Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Heat the oil, then add the onion, aji amarillo pepper, and garlic. Sauté the mix, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and soft (approximately 7 to 8 minutes).
- Pour the pepper, onion, and garlic mix into a blender (or a large bowl if using a handheld food processor). Add the evaporated milk, and blend the sauce until smooth. Crumble the crackers into the sauce and add the queso fresco, salt, and black pepper. Blend again to smooth (yet still relatively thick).
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
No fresh aji amarillo? You can use aji amarillo powder (see it for sale at PepperScale's spicery) as a substitute. Start with one tablespoon of aji amarillo powder. You could opt for less (1/2 tablespoon) if heat is a concern.
Another option is to use one yellow bell pepper. The sauce will lose all heat (and the tropical-sweet undertone brought by aji amarillo), so it's not a recommended substitute unless absolutely necessary.