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Recipe: Peruvian Ocopa



This traditional dish originated in the andean city of Arequipa, but is now popular all over the country. Some say it's been prepared since the age of the Inca's empire. Messengers back then use to travel by running from city to city, carrying around a bag called "Ocopa", with chili, pleanuts and herbs.

The star ingredient is the Peruvian Black Mint herb, known as "Huacatay" in the Andean country. The presentation resembles the also famous Huancaína Potatoes, but with a lot of green color in it.

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds white potato
  • 1 pound onion
  • 1 pound white cheese (peruvian Queso Fresco)
  • 7 ounces roasted peanut
  • 6 green peppers (seeds or veins removed)
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 4 mirasol peppers (seeds or veins removed)
  • 1 cup black mint (peruvian huacatay)
  • Olives (to decorate)
  • 4 boiled eggs
  • Lettuce leaves
  • Oil and salt

Preparation

First boil, peel and cut potatoes into slices. In a frying pan, fry the green peppers, mirasol and the chopped onion. Put the fried ingredients into the blender and add the peanuts, milk and cheese. Blend the mix adding black ming (huacatay) and salt. Make sure the ocopa cream gets and even texture with no big particles, and with the exact ammount of salt.

Serve on individual plates, placing the lettuce on the base, then the potato slices and top with the ocopa cream, eggs and olives.

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