Avocado
Peruvian Causa (Potato-Tuna Layered Dish) w/ Russian Salad
- Serves 8-10
Author Notes
Another favorite Peruvian dish, simple to prepare, beautiful to look at, and always a hit, even with those unfamiliar with Peruvian cooking. Who doesn't like mashed potatoes or tuna salad? This is my own version, made with tuna salad, however, you can also make it with crab salad or even chicken salad if you don't want seafood. At our house and at many Peruvian parties this is invariably served with Russian Salad--thus the two part recipe. —BeijingRose
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- Peruvian Causa
-
4
lbs white potatoes
-
1/2
cup olive oil
-
2
fresh limes, juiced
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1-2
TBSP Aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow pepper sauce) according to your heat preference
-
1
purple onion, chopped small
-
11/2
fresh avocados, mashed w/a little salt & lime juice
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4-5
eggs, boiled, peeled, sliced
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1
small can of sliced black olives
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head of Bibb or Romaine lettuce leaves
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salt and pepper to taste
-
1
large can of tuna in water, drained
-
1/2
cup mayonnaise
-
1/2
cup finely minced celelry
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1/2
tsp yellow food coloring
- Russian Salad
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1
lb bag of mixed frozen vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots, etc)
-
1
pound white or red potatoes, boiled, chilled and diced
-
1
can of pickled or plain beets, drained & sliced
-
1/2 cup
Greek yogurt or sour cream
-
1
cup mayonnaise
-
1
TBSP garlic powder
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1
lime, juiced
-
2
TBSP dried minced onion
-
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Peruvian Causa
- Wash and boil your potatoes in the skin for about 30 minutes until tender. Let them cool a little, then rinse in COLD water and remove skins. Mash the potatoes, add the oil, juice of one lime, yellow food coloring, salt and pepper to taste, and the aji amarillo. Blend until smooth. Divide the mixture in half and set aside.
- Mix the tuna (crab or finely chopped chicken is also quite good), mayo, half the chopped purple onion, minced celery, salt and pepper and juice of the other lime. Set aside.
- I spray my large glass baking dish with a little Pam to prevent sticking and to ease serving later. Layer one half of the potato in the dish, flattening with your spatula or fingers until even and smooth. Spread the tuna salad over the top. Then carefully place spoonfuls of the OTHER half of the potato mixture on top and pat until smooth.
- Decorate the top with slices of boiled egg. Mix the rest of the chopped purple onion with a little lime juice and salt and garnish the tops of the egg slices.
- Cover, chill for 3 hours . Just before serving, mash the avocado with a little salt and lime juice and put into a plastic sandwich bag with seal. Snip off a little corner of the bag, maybe 1/4-1/2 inch, then pipe the avocado between the egg slices, and top each avocado mound with sliced black olives. Serve cold on lettuce leaves. PARTY TIP: If you have to take this to a party, make it all the day ahead, and bring your sandwich baggie and avocado to the party, and decorate JUST BEFORE serving--if you let this dish sit in the fridge for hours the avocado will turn dark, which looks very unappetizing--keep it freshly made, and the color and taste of the dish is superb! PARTY TIP 2: I sometimes cut the causa into small squares about 2 or 3 inches, and serve in paper frills as finger foods--very nice for ladies luncheons or tea parties.
- Russian Salad
- Boil your mixed frozen vegies in a little salt water for 12 minutes (I always wash the eggs and put them in to boil with the vegies). Drain in a colander and pour into a large bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix gently then chill for one hour. Serve cold with the Causa. The colors mix beautifully in these two dishes--Enjoy!
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