Aji Amarillo Sauce
Aji Amarillo Paste
Aji amarillo peppers are fruity , aromatic and hot—not blistering hot but considerably hotter than a jalapeno. Aji amarillo peppers, in fact, clock in on the Scoville scale with from 30,000 to 50,000 heat units, 6-10 times hotter than a jalapeno. Used sparingly, they provide a spicy kick–delayed a few seconds, delivering jolt and fading quickly–that is distinctive but not overpowering.
“It’s hard to overstate the importance of ají amarillo, also known as ají escabeche, in the Peruvian kitchen,” says the travel guide How to Peru. Virgilio Martinez, one of the nation’s trendiest young, Michelin-starred chefs has called the pepper “the DNA of Peruvian cuisine.”
Aji amarillo sauce is one of the most common ways that aji amarillo peppers end up in the everyday diets of Peruvians. There are innumerable variations.
One authority on South American cuisine, Marian Blazes, author of The Everything Brazilian Cookbook, includes green onions, both white and green parts, in her version of aji amarillo sauce, as well as two other nontraditional ingredients: mayonnaise and ketchup. Vespa Wolf, a recipe tester for Cook’s Illustrated, uses cilantro leaves and stems in her version. She also suggests that a small amount of peanut butter “adds depth without overpowering the sauce and is a typical ingredient in some regions of Peru.” Cheese is essential to aji amarillo sauce, preferably queso fresco, but another salty soft cheese will do, such as feta or ricotta.
The recipe below is an amalgamation and adaptation of Blazes’ and Wolf’s recipes. You should adjust it to suit your own tastes.
Aji Amarillo Sauce[top]
½ cup chopped herbs: cilantro, parsley, and/or green onions, white and green parts
2 to 4 Aji Amarillo peppers (or 1-2 Tablespoons Aji Amarillo paste) to taste
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup queso fresco, ricotta or feta cheese
1 to 2 teaspoons peanut butter (optional) to taste
Juice of 1 to 2 limes to taste
Salt to taste
1. Chop and saute the peppers in oil for several minutes until softened. Add to food processor or blender with chopped herbs and other ingredients.
2. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
3. Season with salt to taste and chill until ready to serve.
Aji Amarillo Paste[top]
10 aji amarillo peppers, seeded and chopped
¼ cup chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
1. Quickly saute the peppers in a skillet in a small of amount of oil for several minutes until softened.
2. Combine the sauted peppers and other ingredients to a food processor and process until nice a thick paste forms. Adjust for salt and and transfer to an air-tight container for storage in the refrigerator, or freeze.
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