Causa Limeña - Delicious Cold Appetizer From Peru

Step 1

Wash the potatoes with plenty of water and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut them into four or six parts according to their size. You should get pieces of (at most) 5 cm.

Step 2

Place them in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Cook half covered for at least 15 minutes until potatoes are soft. The way to test them is to prick them with a fork. If your fork meets little resistance, they are soft enough to puree.

Step 3

Strain the potatoes, let them drain for a few minutes.

Step 4

The best Causa Limeña meat is chicken breast. A small chicken breast gives around 300 grams of shredded chicken. Roast or boil the chicken according to your taste. Remember to add a pinch of salt and a little pepper for cooking.

Step 5

Peel the onion and chop finely.

Step 6

Boil the egg in plenty of water, and remove the shell. Cut it into thin slices.

Step 7

While the potatoes are still warm, place them in a large bowl, and with a potato masher, mash them until there are no lumps left.

Step 8

Wash the chili peppers and place them on a cutting board. Remove the stem with a sharp knife, cut crosswise and remove all the veins and seeds. Cut the chili peppers into large pieces. Don't worry about size because they will liquefy later.

Step 9

Put the oil and peppers into the blender glass. Beat for about three minutes. The mixture will not be completely homogeneous.

Step 10

Pour the chili sauce over the mashed potatoes with a pinch of salt and mash again for a few minutes until the chili is fully blended into potatoes. Taste and if necessary, rectify with salt.

Step 11

In a mixing bowl place the shredded chicken. Make sure that all the chicken is finely chopped. Add mayonnaise, chopped onion, lime juice, and peas. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed.

Step 12

Remove the seed from the avocado, peel the skin away and cut the soft flesh into thin slices. Sprinkle a few drops of lime over the avocado slices to prevent it from turning brown.

Step 13

For the next step, the assembly of the causa rellena, use an empty can with the base and lid removed (using a can opener). If you wish, you can use a round mold or a square mold or even a glass container.

Step 14

Place the can on a flat plate and add two tablespoons of mashed potatoes. With a spoon or any other utensil that you consider convenient, press the mashed potatoes towards the bottom of the plate and flatten.

Step 15

Add a layer of avocado pieces.

Step 16

Then add three tablespoons of chicken with mayonnaise. Press down gently.

Step 17

Cover with a second layer of mashed potatoes and flatten once more. Very carefully remove the can by pulling it upwards. Repeat this procedure until you run out of ingredients. We make 6 Causas Limeñas with the ingredients listed above.

Step 18

On top of each Causa Limeña place an egg slice, a few black olives and some thin slices of yellow chili.

Step 19

Serve individually as a starter for dinner or a cold appetizer for lunch.