Starter: a traditional peruvian ‘Causa Limeña’.

Published on 06/06/2011 | In Peru en | By Monica |

- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 Minutes
- Yield
- 8
- Difficulty Level

Last Sunday came friends at home for lunch. My aunt was also visiting Madrid and it had been a while since I didn’t invite many friends over. I was eager to cooking all day long. So I prepared a three-course menu with a starter, a second plate and dessert. The starter was this ‘Causa Limeña’, a very traditional peruvian dish. I bought a very good quality tuna I was wanting to try a while ago from El Teso (and I have to tell you I highly recommend it, delicious tuna).

For the ones who haven’t tried it yet and don’t know what it is: imagine a cold lasagna made of potato puree (with lemon and chilli) filled with whatever you like. In Perú we make it of chicken, octopus, tuna, crab, asparagus, whatever you like!! Be creative!!! Perfect for summer time, do it on a Monday and to the fridge. You’ve made yourself an excellent afternoon ‘snack’ for children after school, surprise for friends, light lunch. I love it. I am in love with my peruvian Causa. Let’s start with the menu then.

I have to thank infinitely to Sandra Gajate Benavides for the beautiful pictures she took 🙂

Ingredients

1/2 kilo of potatoes
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
4 tablespoons of pasta de ají amarillo
2 limes
3 lemons
1 avocado
1 can of a good quality tuna
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup of home-made mayonnaise (below)
For the home-made mayonnaise:
1 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 garlic clove or a teaspoon of roasted garlic paste (provides a softer flavour)
the juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon mustard
1 egg
salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

For the home-made mayonnaise:
Place on the blender vase the egg, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add the oil slowly and thinly.
When the mayonnaise is at the desired thickness (you might like it more liquid for a salad dressing for example) stop adding oil.
Taste. Add more salt or pepper if necessary.set!
Traditional Causa:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water with salt.
Peel them and puree them while still hot.
Let coold down and add the ají amarillo paste, vegetable oil, lime and lemom juice. Mix well.
Taste. Add more ají if you like it spicy. The quantities are personal depending on your taste.
Add salt. The salt will balance the acid. The oil will make the puree softer and easy to handle.
In a circular mold or a 20 x 20 cm first place a layer of 'causa'.
Add a good amount of the tuna on top.
Afterwards, add the avocado cut into fine slices and seasonde with salt and pepper.
Cover with mayonnaise and finally cover with another layer of causa. Extend with your hands.
Garnish with parsley and some aji amarillo paste and mayonnaise.