Ingredients

• 800 g Cooked octopus
• 1 piece Fresh rocoto pepper
• 2 tablespoons Aji Amarillo paste
• 0.5 piece Red onion
• 2 pieces Garlic cloves
• 100 ml Evaporated milk
• 50 g Queso Fresco (or Feta)
• 200 g Dried purple corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• 30 ml Lime juice
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 400 g New potatoes
• a few sprigs Fresh parsley
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the rocoto cream: Finely chop half of the red onion, garlic, and rocoto pepper (remove seeds for less heat). Sauté them in one tablespoon of olive oil until tender. Add the aji amarillo paste and cook for 2 more minutes.

2. 2

   Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add evaporated milk and queso fresco. Blend until you get a smooth, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. 3

   Prepare the purple corn reduction: Rinse the dried purple corn kernels. In a saucepan, combine the purple corn with 500 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid (keep the corn for other uses if desired).

4. 4

   Return the strained purple corn liquid to the saucepan. Add sugar and lime juice. Reduce over medium-low heat until a syrupy consistency is achieved. Set aside.

5. 5

   Prepare the octopus: Cut the cooked octopus into 3-4 cm pieces. In a bowl, mix the octopus with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let marinate for 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Thread the octopus pieces onto wooden skewers (previously soaked in water if using wooden skewers to prevent burning).

7. 7

   Cook the potatoes: Boil the new potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.

8. 8

   Grill the anticuchos: Preheat a grill or a ridged pan over medium-high heat. Grill the octopus skewers for 2-3 minutes on each side, until slightly charred and thoroughly heated.

9. 9

   Plating: Arrange a few warm potatoes on each plate. Place 2-3 octopus skewers on top. Drizzle generously with rocoto cream and a few strands of purple corn reduction. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.