Papa’s a la Huancaína

If you have been to Cusco Peru, chances are that you have had Papa’s a la Huancaína. A very tasty and unique sauce, there is really nothing you can compare it with. The only difficulty in preparing the Huancaína Sauce is finding the Aji Amarillo Chile peppers. Unless you grow your own peppers you may have to settle for bottled Aji Amarillo paste.

    Preparation

1. Boil 2-3 medium sized potatoes, chill, peel, and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Remove seeds from orange chili peppers and chop into 1 inch pieces.
3. Sauté onion, garlic, and chili peppers (or paste) in the oil until onion is softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Place onion/chili mixture in a food processor or blender.
5. Add evaporated milk and blend.
6. Add cheese and crackers and blend until smooth. Sauce should be fairly thick. Thicken sauce with more saltines or thin sauce with more milk if necessary.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

   Serving Suggestions

Serve the sauce over sliced potatoes and garnish with hard boiled eggs, black olives and cilantro. This versatile, mildly spicy sauce that can also be served as a dip for chips or raw vegetables.