El Trío de Cremas
La Pollada del Fin de Semana
She hits the pulse on a standard countertop blender while the oil pops in the fryer. A weekend pollada runs on loud music, overlapping voices, and three non-negotiable sauces—the bright yellow ají de pollería, the fiery crema de rocoto, and the earthy ají de huacatay. Forget the jalapeño-laced mayonnaise. Authentic flavor comes from a jar of aji amarillo paste, mellowed not by mayo, but by a can of evaporated milk, saltines, and a quick, transformative stint in the frying pan. Put three plastic squeeze bottles on the table and let everyone drown their own chicken.
Before you start
Cool the sofrito completely before blending.
Hot oil and onions will instantly break a dairy emulsion, leaving you with a watery sauce instead of a thick, dippable cream.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil3/4 cup
- red onion1 med
- garlic4 cloves
- jarred ají amarillo paste1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp
- evaporated milk3/4 cup
- Saltine crackers10 med
- yellow mustard1 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- jarred huacatay paste2 tbsp plus 1 tsp
- jarred rocoto paste2 tbsp
- Mexican queso fresco1 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Sauté the aromatics for the yellow and red sauces.
In a skillet over medium heat, gently fry roughly three-quarters of the chopped onion and three smashed garlic cloves in two tablespoons of oil for five to seven minutes until completely translucent to kill the raw bite, then divide the mixture in half and let it cool.
- 02
Blend the Ají de Pollería (yellow sauce).
Add half of the cooled aromatics to a blender along with a third cup of ají amarillo paste, a quarter cup of evaporated milk, six saltines, the mustard, oregano, a teaspoon of huacatay paste, and a pinch of salt.
- 03
Emulsify the yellow sauce with oil.
With the blender running on medium-low, remove the lid's center cap and slowly pour a quarter cup of oil in a steady stream until the sauce thickens like mayonnaise, then transfer to a jar.
- 04
Blend and emulsify the Crema de Rocoto (red sauce).
Rinse the blender, add the remaining cooled aromatics, the rocoto paste, half a cup of queso fresco, a quarter cup of evaporated milk, and salt; blend until smooth, then stream in two tablespoons of oil to thicken and transfer to a second jar.
- 05
Create the raw Ají de Huacatay (green sauce).
Rinse the blender one last time and add the remaining two tablespoons of huacatay paste, the tablespoon of ají amarillo paste, the remaining half cup of queso fresco, the final raw garlic clove, four saltines, and the final quarter cup of evaporated milk.
- 06
Emulsify the green sauce.
Blend the mixture on high until bright and speckled, then stream in the final quarter cup of oil until the sauce becomes a thick, clinging cream.
Notes
Control the heat.
Jarred pastes are potent; start with one tablespoon of rocoto paste for the red sauce, taste, and add the second only if you want the traditional fiery kick.
Let them rest.
These sauces are best made a day in advance and stored in airtight glass jars in the fridge, allowing the garlic notes to mellow and the capsaicin to distribute evenly through the dairy.
From Cook Peruvian in America.