Peruvian Quinoa Stew with Queso Fresco

The Peruvian quinoa stew called quinua atamalada is thick and hearty and typically seasoned with aji amarillo, a yellow-orange chili widely used in Peruvian cuisine. For our version, we approximated aji amarillo’s flavor by using a yellow bell pepper plus a habanero. The habanero provides only subtle heat because the pod is merely cut in half, not minced, but if you wish to minimize spiciness, remove the seeds from the chili halves. Queso fresco is a salty, milky Mexican cheese with a firm, slightly crumbly texture; its savoriness contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the vegetables and lends the stew a delicious richness. If you like, garnish with finely chopped onion tossed with fresh lime juice.