An Arequipa sauce built around huacatay and ají mirasol with a character all its own. Creamy and nutty, it brings together peanuts, fresh cheese, and a lingering herbal heat without becoming heavy. One spoonful is usually all the excuse you need to slice another potato.
Open the ají amarillo, remove the veins and seeds, and cut it into pieces; chop the onion and garlic, and strip the huacatay leaves from the thick stems. Heat the oil and cook the onion, garlic, and ají for 4 minutes, until soft and fragrant; add the ají mirasol paste and cook for 2 more minutes
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Transfer the sautéed mixture to the blender and add the evaporated milk, fresh cheese, soda crackers, and salt. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and vividly green, able to coat a spoon without running off like a liquid. And that’s it—taste one spoonful before putting it away; you’ll understand why ocopa rarely makes it to the plate untouched.
