Peruvian Green Dipping Sauce with Fried Potatoes
I'm no expert in Peruvian food. I haven't yet traveled there, so what little experience I have comes courtesy of the super of a building in which I used to work. Roberto is a prolific home cook and brought his own lunch every day. Often he would make baked chicken, rice, and a mysterious green sauce that he would drizzle over his food. I assumed, by it's color, that it was wasabi mayonnaise, until he invited me to try it. It was a creamy, garlicky, mildly spicy, cilantro-infused explosion of flavor that added depth and brightness to what would have otherwise been a tasty but very basic baked chicken dish.
I was recently reminded of Roberto's green sauce by my friend Julie, who came home from a Peruvian restaurant raving about a green dipping sauce for homemade potato chips. I haven't had Roberto's sauce in months, and I haven't tried the sauce Julie loved, so in creating this recipe, I went on memory, intuition, and a fair bit of internet research.
I discovered that Peruvian food traditionally has many sauces, but Americans are most familiar with this green sauce that is often served at grilled chicken restaurants. You can find many variations for this recipe online. By trying different methods and ingredients, I created a version that produced the brightest, most interesting flavor and the best texture and consistency. It's really nice on chicken, steak, pork, seafood, and eggs, but also is wonderful as a dipping sauce for fried potatoes, since it's essentially a jazzed up aioli. If you have leftovers, try using it as a base for deviled eggs, a binder in a spicy potato salad, and as a delicious sandwich spread.
For about a pint (2 cups) of sauce, you will need:
- 2 cups roughly chopped cilantro leaves, stems removed. Make sure to wash well, cilantro can be muddy.
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint (spearmint) leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1-2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste, a Peruvian yellow chili paste available in Latin American supermarkets. I like aji amarillo because the heat is gentle and builds with each bite, allowing you to taste the flavor of the sauce accompanied by a pleasant kick of heat, without your mouth becoming engulfed in flames. If you can't find aji amarillo, use jalapeño peppers, finely diced. For a very mild sauce, use 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed. If you like a spicier flavor, leave the seeds and ribs in.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water, plus more if you want a more fluid consistency. Traditionally, this sauce is quite thin.
- 1/2 cup finely grated hard cheese (Tradition dictates a Latin American cheese like cojito, though I tend to prefer the flavor of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. For this recipe, it doesn't matter too much, because the aji, garlic, mint, and cilantro are all very strong flavors. The cheese provides salt, texture, and a pleasant tang more than anything else. I used pre-grated, powdered cheese, rather than shredded cheese, because I feel that it blends up better.
Directions:
In a food processor or blender, chop the cilantro, mint, garlic, and aji amarillo paste until well combined. (A blender with a strong motor will give you a smoother consistency, though I used a food processor and found it easier to chop the cilantro into tiny, uniform pieces. Either way is fine.) Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, vinegar, and water, and blend until smooth. Add the cheese, blend until smooth, and taste. Adjust for consistency (add water a tablespoon at a time if you deem it too thick) and flavor (add more aji amarillo or vinegar a teaspoon at a time for heat and tang.)
MY DAD'S FAMOUS FRIED POTATOES:
My dad makes the best home fried potatoes. The secret is leftover baked russet potatoes, skin on, cold from the fridge. Because they're already cooked, you can brown and crisp them up quickly and still get a fluffy, soft interior. Because they're cold, you can cut them into any shape you like and they won't fall apart. (Dad always did cubes or thin slices, but I like cutting them into steak fries for dipping.)
Plan on 1 medium potato per person. If you don't have leftover baked potatoes, scrub russet potatoes well, poke them several times with a fork, and microwave them for about 10 minutes on high, until they're cooked through. A knife should go through easily when they're done. Chill them in the freezer for an hour, and you're ready to go.
Directions:
In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced potatoes, making sure they're not crowded, and brown well on all sides. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle liberally with kosher or flake salt.