Book of Days Tales

The first Saturday in July in Peru is el día del amigo (friends’ day).  Every country in South America has a friends’ day and it is a BIG DEAL. In Argentina on that day it is virtually impossible to contact anyone by phone because the lines/cells are completely jammed from morning to night.  It is also exceedingly difficult/impossible to find a table in a restaurant that evening unless you have a reservation made weeks in advance. There are many “friendly” Peruvian recipes to pick from such as lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa, or papa a la huancaína. But I am going to settle on aji verde – Peruvian green sauce – because it is versatile and ubiquitous.  You will find it on tables across Peru as an accompaniment for a host of dishes.

No exact recipe; just the general idea. You will need:

cilantro
jalapeños
garlic
lime juice
mayonnaise
grated cotija or parmesan cheese
sea salt

Quantities are cook’s choice. Place the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.