Huancaína Sauce
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Fresh ají amarillo peppers (or paste) — 4
- Queso fresco, crumbled — 150 g (1 cup)
- Evaporated milk — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
- Saltine crackers — 4
- Garlic clove — 1
- Vegetable oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
- Salt — to taste
Method
- Remove seeds from ají amarillo peppers; blanch briefly in boiling water 2 minutes, then drain.
- Combine blanched peppers, queso fresco, evaporated milk, crackers, garlic and oil in a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Adjust consistency with a little extra evaporated milk if too thick.
- Season with salt to taste; serve over boiled potatoes.
Cultural Background: A creamy, cheese-based ají amarillo sauce named for the Andean city of Huancayo, this sauce is traditionally poured over boiled potatoes in the beloved dish papa a la huancaína, a staple Peruvian starter.
Tips: • The saltine crackers help thicken the sauce to the traditional creamy, pourable consistency — don't skip them. • Blend thoroughly for the smoothest, most luxurious texture.
Variations: • Add a hard-boiled egg to the blend for extra richness, a common household variation. • Adjust ají amarillo quantity to taste for more or less heat.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Reheating: Not applicable; served cold or at room temperature over hot boiled potatoes. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 90 kcal, 3 g protein, 7 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate per 30 ml serving.
FAQs: What is huancaína sauce traditionally served with? Boiled potatoes, in the classic starter dish papa a la huancaína, often garnished with olives and hard-boiled egg. Why are crackers used in a sauce? They act as a thickener, giving the sauce its characteristic smooth, spoonable body without needing a roux.
- Fresh ají amarillo peppers (or paste) — 4
- Queso fresco, crumbled — 150 g (1 cup)
- Evaporated milk — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
- Saltine crackers — 4
- Garlic clove — 1
- Vegetable oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
- Salt — to taste
Please log in to leave a comment.