Recipe: Causa de Atun by Elena Hernandez

Elena Hernández, the Panama City-based chef and a great admirer of Peruvian cuisine, recently posted her recipe for causa de atún, tuna causa, on her Spanish-language blog, El Amor por la Cocina.

This cold potato appetizer, somewhat like a spicy and flavorful layered potato tarte, one of Peru's most typical dishes, is also one of Elena's favorites. For the first time, and adapting from Tony Custer's book, The Art of Peruvian Cooking, Elena tries her hand at causa. Below is her easy-to-follow recipe.

Causa de atún, tuna causa.
Photo by Elena Hernández at El Amor por la Cocina.

Causa de Atún: Tuna Causa

Ingredients:

2.2 lbs de Peruvian yellow potatoes
¼ cup of oil
¼ cup of vinegar
ají­ amarillo paste
juice of one lemon
juice of one orange
salt and white pepper

For the filling:

2 cans of tuna in oil
2 finely diced onions
1 avocado
1 cup of mayonaise
2 hard boiled eggs
lettuce leaves
8 black olives
diced parsley

Procedure:

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water. Peel and mash. Season with salt, white pepper, lemon juice, orange juice, ají­ amarillo, and oil.

2. Combine tuna with onion and mayonaise.

3. A causa can be assembled in different ways. Elena used a small stainless-steel ring. First, I placed a layer of the potato mixture, then a layer of avocado, another layer of the potato, then a layer of the tuna mixture, and a final layer of potato. On top, she placed sliced hard-boiled eggs, one or two olives and diced parsley. Serve accompanied by lettuce leaves.


The filling can also be made with chicken, shrimp, octopus, and prawns.




Visit Elena's blog at El Amor por la Cocina.






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TAGS: Peru, Peruvian, food, cooking, cuisine, cocina, comida, gastronomía, peruana