Quinotto a la Huacaina
After a recent trip to Peru, the new centre of the gastronomical universe, this quinoa "risotto" was my stand-out dish, without a doubt my most memorable dish. I've seen quinotto recipes before but this was flavoured with huacaina sauce, which is made with aji amarillo, a yellow chilli pepper and cheese. It was so comforting as any good risotto should be but then the carefully thought out toppings elevated it to another level of deliciousness. I ate it in a restaurant called Ofrenda in Cusco. Ingredients serves 4 240g quinoa 1.2 litres veg stock 200g pumpkin, roasted 500g hucaina sauce for the huacaina sauce 6 ajíes amarillos (Peruvian yellow peppers), deseed (or 180g of ají amarillo paste) 50g chopped onion, marinated in vinegar 150ml evaporated milk 5 soda crackers (i.e. water biscuits or cream crackers) 125g queso fresco (feta) Salt, to taste optional toppings 4 tomatoes, quartered, slow roasted for an hour at 140C 40g courgette, thinly sliced and soak
