is probably one of Peru's most famous recipes and a traditional part of Peruvian cuisine. There are different versions about the origin of the dish, which is usually eaten as an appetizer. One story is that during the construction of the Ferrocarril Central del Perú the workers ate potatoes with the chili-milk sauce. The story goes that there was a noble chef who made this delicious egg-topped cheese sauce with the potatoes to keep the workers strong. The Peruvian Central Railway, whose construction began in year 1869, was the highest railway line in the world for over a hundred years. Thousands of workers cut stone from the hills to make way for the railway line, working continuously at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters.
Originally the sauce was made from crumbled cheese and cooked rocoto (Capsicum pubescens), ground and mixed with a little milk. Rocoto is now being replaced by yellow chili peppers (Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum). Yellow chili, also called Ají Escabeche, is grown in Peru and is considered the most commonly used variety in the Peruvian Andes. The sauce is so popular that it is now industrialized and is available ready to serve in every supermarket in Peru.
Ingredients for 4 people:
6 yellow chili peppers without veins and seeds (alternatively, approx. 2-3 tsp pasta de aji amarillo/yellow chili paste, from the online shop)
⅓ cup oil
1 chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 boiled egg yolks
¼ kilo of Peruvian cream cheese (alternatively mild feta), in pieces
½ cup canned milk
50 g crackers (in Peru “soda cookies”)
4 boiled potatoes, peeled and sliced
Black olives
Boiled eggs
Lettuce leaves
Salt and pepper
Preparation
(Working time approx. 30 minutes)
Halve the chili peppers and remove all the “veins” very thoroughly. Also remove all seeds. This is very important because otherwise it will be way too spicy! Then boil them in a pot of water for five minutes.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic over medium heat for three minutes.
Mix the whole thing with the cooked egg yolk, the chili peppers, the remaining oil and the cheese and puree.
You can do this with a hand blender or a blender. Add the cookies. Gradually add the milk until you get a creamy sauce. Spice up with salt and pepper.
Serve the potatoes on salad, pour over the sauce and garnish with olives and a boiled egg.
Tip: It is best to wear gloves when working with the chili peppers. It can be quite unpleasant if you accidentally touch your eyes with your hands afterwards...