Name: Huacatay Sauce
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil (separated); 3 yellow Peruvian peppers (aji amarillo), fresh or frozen; 1/2 chopped shallot; 1/4 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened); 1/3 cup roasted and salted peanuts; 1/4 cup Huacatay (black mint) leaves (available frozen in some Latin markets); 10 ounces queso fresco (casero or Cotija), cut into cubes; Pinch salt; 2 saltine crackers (if needed)*

Huacatay Sauce

Course: All Recipes, SaucesCuisine: Peruvian

Cups

Huacatay Sauce is a vibrant Peruvian condiment blending 3-5 aji amarillo peppers, 1/2 chopped shallot, and 1/4 cup Huacatay leaves for a unique flavor. Enhanced by 1/4 cup evaporated milk, 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, and 10 ounces queso fresco, this creamy sauce uses a pinch of salt and 2-4 saltine crackers for perfect consistency.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil (separated)
3 yellow Peruvian peppers (aji amarillo), fresh or frozen
1/2 chopped shallot
1/4 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened)
1/3 cup roasted and salted peanuts
1/4 cup Huacatay (black mint) leaves (available frozen in some Latin markets)
10 ounces queso fresco (casero or Cotija), cut into cubes
Pinch salt
2 saltine crackers (if needed)*

Directions

Remove the stems from the peppers. Discard the stems and cut the pepper into chunks. If using frozen peppers, there’s no need to defrost.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the aji amarillo and the shallot sauté for about 5 minutes.
When cooked, transfer the sautéed vegetables to a blender. Add the milk, the peanuts, and the Huacatay and blend until very smooth. Next, add the queso fresco; when the queso is incorporated, remove the smaller center blender cover, and with the blender still running, slowly add the oil in a stream. Blend until the sauce is silky. Taste for salt and add if needed.
Use immediately or store in a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to five days.
If the sauce is not as thick as you’d like, blend in 2-4 saltine crackers, one a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Note
Use as a dipping sauce for French fries or sweet potato fries, fried yucas, chicken, grilled vegetables and crudités, and as a garnish for pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup.

Notes

Use as a dipping sauce for French fries or sweet potato fries, fried yucas, chicken, grilled vegetables and crudités, and as a garnish for pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup.