Vegetables: There are several versions of the dish in Peru, Ocopa de Camarones by Recipe Cottage

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	There are several versions of the dish in Peru, Ocopa de Camarones

		being the most famous. This is definitely an aquired taste, so be forewarned. The specific ingredients are also kind of hard to find (in some places?), but here we go anyway. Ocopa Antigua de Arequipa(8 servings) ------------------------- Aprox. 2 lbs. medium potatoes 1 lb. onion, diced 6 Yellow Ajis (peruvian), de-seeded or not, your call. 1 Huacatay sprig (This is Tagetes minuta, or mexican marigolg), no substitution 1 lb. Anejo cheese (has to be a hard cheese, I don't know if you could use parmesan), or you can use queso fresco, or maybe even a good cottage or feta cheese. Experiment!. 1 cup milk 1/2 lb. toasted peanuts 4 Mirasol chiles salt oil or lard (not too much) Boil the potatoes. Fry the mirasols, trying to toast them well but not burn them, same thing with the onions and yellow ajis. Put everything into blender, adding the cheese and thinning a little with the milk. You don't want it runny, but a medium-thick sauce. Coarsely chop the peanuts, in a mortar, food processor or even the blender. Add it to the sauce along with the huacatay, blend well, correct the seasoning with salt, and add oil to taste. Serve the thick sauce over the potatoes and, Buen Apetito! Note: The combination of the chiles with the peanut and cheese is enhanced with the distinguishable taste of the huacatay, and again, there are no substitutes IMHO, for this herb. Now for a variation, Ocopa de Camarones (Shrimp Ocopa) 10 servings. --------------------------------- Boil 2 lbs. potatoes. On another pot, briefly boil 1 lb. shrimp and peel them. On another pan, sautee 6 cloves of garlic, and 1 lb. diced onions with 6 yellow Ajis. When golden brown, put in blender along with 1/2 lb. sweet cookies (animal cookies are what they use, believe it or not), 1 lb crumbled cheese, milk to thin, and brasil nuts (tipical), or chestnuts, or the nut that you like. Blend everything with the huacatay, season with salt and oil to taste. Serve over the potatoes and put shrimp on top. Last but not least, Ocopa Lime~a (Limean Ocopa) 10 servings. --------------------------- Boil 2 lbs. potatoes. On another pan, sautee 6 cloves of garlic, and 1 lb. diced onions with 6 yellow Ajis. When golden brown, put in blender along with 1/4 lb. sweet cookies (animal cookies are what they use, believe it or not), 1/8 lb crumbled cheese, milk to thin, and peanuts, brasil nuts, or chestnuts, or the nut that you like. Blend everything with the huacatay, season with salt and oil to taste. Serve over the potatoes and put shrimp on top. All this dishes can be garnished with lettuce leaves, quartered hard eggs and tomatoes. Enjoy! Ray Orosz a004075t@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us Now my comments: First, thanks Ray! Second, my understanding is that in Peru they use a yellow potato that isn't widely available here. Since I don't have garden space to grow it anyway (too many peppers), I substitute Yukon Gold potatoes, which my local grocery store carries. Third, "aji" means simply "chile pepper", but the specific variety called for, aji amarillo, usually refers to C. Baccatum, var. pendulum. This is a moderately sized pepper, 4"-6" in length, with a fruity taste and a clear, searing heat. Yellow habs or scotch bonnets could be substituted if you don't have ajis. Fourth, huatacay can be obtained from "Seeds of Change" or "Richter's". In other cookbooks I've seen turmeric called for as a substitute, but this imparts only the yellow color, not the taste, of the real thing. Lastly, the step where you fry the onions and peppers is the one to watch out for...this is when you're likely to fumigate your house with chile gas, so be prepared to cry. Enjoy!