4-6 portions; 50 min preparation; 20 min cooking time.

I got inspires by my last visit in Peru and made a delicious entrée. It’s called Causa rellena or “La causa”  and it’s very typical of this country. I saw it served in many restaurants, although they make it slightly different from my version. 

It’s a very nice dish to serve for guests. You can easily make it in advance and chill it in the fridge until serving. It is served cold, so it makes it easy to prepare  the day before.

You can also make individual portions or make it in a big  baking dish and slice it for each guest. The choice is entirely yours, but it will look pretty and taste good either way.

Ingredients

• 500 g potatoes, chopped
• 2 bell or orange peppers
• 1 small onion
• 250 g chicken breast
• 20 g fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 1 lime, juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 100 g cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 50 g creme fraîche
• 50 g black olives, pitted and sliced

Preparation

Potato mixture: Peel the potatoes and chop them in small pieces. As small as they are, the easier they will cook. Transfer the potatoes in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil the potatoes until very soft. Transfer the potatoes to a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the seeds. Cut the onion in half. Blanch the bell peppers and the onion until they get soft. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the garlic powder and lime juice.

Mix the potatoes and the bell pepper together. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.

Mince the cilantro very fine. Add it to the potato mixture. Set aside.

Chicken: Cut the chicken in small pieces. Place the pieces in a pan with water. Add the bouillon cube. Bring to the boil. Cook the chicken until it’s cooked through. Drain and set side.

Vegetables: Cut the cherry tomatoes in slices. Peel the avocados, remove the seeds and slice them thinly.

Assembling “la causa”:  Cover the bottom of a 30×30 cm baking dish with clean foil.  Use the half of the potato mixture on the bottom. It should be the layer is evenly thick. Cover with slices of avocado on top. Cover with creme fraîche and chicken pieces. Add cherry tomatoes on top (leave some for decoration). Cover with a layer of potato mixture. Cover the dish with clean foil and set in the fridge until serving.

Remove from the fridge. Open the clean foil. Place a big serving dish on the bottom and turn the dish upside down. Remove the clean foil from the top. Decorate with cherry tomatoes and olives. Slice individual portions for each guest. Enjoy!