ocopa
{{Short description|Peruvian food dish}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Ocopa
| image = Ocopa (Peru).JPG
| caption =Plate of ocopa
| alternate_name =
| country = Peru
| region = Arequipa
| creator =
| course =
| served =
| main_ingredient = sun-dried chilis, onions, and cracker meal
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}
Ocopa is a smooth sauce flavored with black mint huacatay, originally from the city of Arequipa, Peru.{{cite book|last1=Morgan|first1=Diane|title=Roots: The Definitive Compendium with More Than 225 Recipes|date=2012|publisher=Chronicle Books|location=San Francisco|isbn=978-0811878371|page=29}} It may be served hot, as dressing for boiled potatoes, or used as a garnish for cold hard-boiled eggs. Ocopa is prepared with sun-dried yellow chilis and sautéed onions, garlic, and thickened with crackers and roasted peanuts.
Characteristic
The sauce is made with yellow pepper and mirasol pepper, both seared without seeds, onion and garlic also seared, evaporated milk, fresh cheese, crackers, peanuts, huacatay, salt and oil.{{Cite book |last=Fetzer |first=Erika |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-yU-AQAAIAAJ |title=Sabores del Perú: la cocina peruana desde los incas hasta nuestros días |date=2004 |publisher=Viena |isbn=978-84-8330-249-1 |language=es}}{{Cite book |last=Sanguineti |first=Maria Luisa B. de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OEdZAAAAMAAJ |title=Recetas económicas y prácticas de cocina y reposteria |date=1969 |publisher=The author |language=es}} All these ingredients are ground (traditionally in a fulling mill) or blended in such a way that they obtain a slightly pasty consistency and a characteristic color. The dish is decorated with a hard-boiled egg and a botija olive, in Arequipa it is normally accompanied by boiled potatoes or shrimp.{{Cite book |last=Rodolfo |first=Hinostroza |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=frFQAQAAIAAJ |title=Primicias de cocina peruana |date=2006 |publisher=Lectorum Publications |isbn=978-84-241-1481-7 |language=es}}