Ocopa Basics

• Dried amarillo chiles act as a key part of the foundation of ocopa sauce. To make ocopa at home, remove the stems and soak these chiles, then add them to a mixture of sliced garlic, chopped red onion, salt, pepper and huacatay sauce, an herbal sauce also known as English black mint. Find it at specialty stores or in your grocer's Latin section. Saute these ingredients for about 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat, then add dry-roasted peanuts, sweet crackers, crumbled queso fresco and milk and puree until smooth. Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days before serving.

Potato Pairing

• Sauce is just one part of ocopa; the potatoes make up the other half of the dish. To prepare authentic ocopa, boil peeled potatoes with a pinch of salt until cooked through. Slice the spuds into thick discs, allow them to cool, and serve them on a bed of fresh lettuce. As you prep the potatoes, take the sauce out of the refrigerator so it has about 20 to 30 minutes to reach a temperature that's a little cooler than room temperature. Add a few spoonfuls of sauce to the bed of lettuce, place the potato slices on the bed and spoon more sauce on top of the potatoes. Garnish the dish with sliced boiled eggs and pitted Kalamata olives and serve immediately.

Saucy Substitutions

• As an age-old recipe, ocopa sauce has seen many variations over the years, so feel free to add your own substitutions. If you can't find huacatay sauce in your area, puree fresh mint, basil and parsley or coriander as a DIY substitute. Likewise, feta or ricotta cheese can stand in for queso fresco. Chefs often use animal crackers or graham crackers in ocopa sauce to give it a sweet undertone, but if you prefer a less sweet flavor, use saltines or even a combination of sweet and savory or buttery crackers.

Tips and Tweaks

• Go with yellow or white potatoes rather than russets, as the former types add a bit more structure and texture to your ocopa. Add a few drops of lemon juice when you puree your ocopa sauce to make it a bit more tangy. In addition to pairing with potatoes, ocopa sauce serves as a springy dip for fresh vegetables. For a twist on classic ocopa, add shrimp to the sauced potatoes for a dish known as ocopa de camarones.