Ocopa

November 16, 2021

Ocopa - kvalifood.com

Ocopa is a Peruvian sauce from Arequipa, made from dried aji mirasol peppers, peanuts, fresh cheese, and huacatay (black mint). It is traditionally served as a composed dish: boiled potato slices on lettuce, covered with the sauce, and garnished with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and cheese.

Makes 8 servings of sauce

Ingredients

Sauce

115 g dried aji mirasol peppers (or 3 tbsp aji mirasol paste)
2 tbsp aji amarillo paste
170 g onion (ca. 1 medium), coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves (ca. 10 g)
115 g roasted unsalted peanuts
55 g roasted walnuts
6 soda crackers (ca. 42 g)
120 ml evaporated milk
120 ml whole milk
115 g queso fresco, diced
1 tsp huacatay paste (or a small handful of fresh leaves)
salt, to taste

To serve

450 g yellow potatoes, boiled, sliced into rounds
lettuce leaves
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
8-10 black olives
queso fresco, diced, extra

Directions

If using dried aji mirasol: cut open, remove seeds and veins. Boil in water, drain, and repeat with fresh water two more times (three boils total). Set aside.
Roast the onion and garlic in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly charred and softened (8-10 minutes).
Blend the prepared peppers (or paste), roasted onion, garlic, peanuts, walnuts, crackers, both milks, queso fresco, huacatay, and salt until completely smooth. Adjust thickness with more milk.
Arrange lettuce on plates. Layer potato slices, spoon sauce generously over them, and garnish with eggs, olives, and extra cheese.