Peruvian Causa Rellena
A classic of the Peruvian cuisine: causa rellena de pollo. Delicious, fresh, creamy and filling. You can serve it as an appetizer or as a main dish along with ceviche.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 kg yellow potatoes (yellow gold are my favorite)
- 400 gr chicken breast
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 ripe firm avocado
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 small red onion
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the aji amarillo paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 Peruvian yellow peppers (or 1 orange bell pepper)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (if you don’t use yellow pepper)
Instructions
For the aji amarillo paste:
- Cut the yellow peppers (or orange bell peppers) into halves and deseed them.
- Boil the peppers for 15 minutes until the skin starts to peel off the flesh. Let them cool and peel them.
- In a blender, toss the boiled peppers and add vegetable oil (if you used regular orange peppers add the cayenne pepper). Blend until you get a smooth paste.
For the causa:
- Peel the potatoes and boil them in salty water until they are fork tender. Mash the boiled potatoes. Add the yellow pepper paste and the juice of a lime. Mix until you get smooth mashed potatoes.
- Boil the chicken with salt (or use leftover or rotisseries chicken). Shred the chicken. In a bowl mix the mayo, red onion cut into tiny cubes, shredded chicken and chopped parsley. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a ramekin, assemble the individual causas rellenas. First a layer of mashed potatoes. Then a layer of creamy chicken, hard-boiled egg cut into slices, avocado cut into slices. And finally another layer of mashed potatoes.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes, unmold and serve.