Causa limeña
Causa is a Peruvian cold starter: potato purée seasoned with lime and yellow ají amarillo chilli, layered with tuna, mayonnaise and avocado. It looks like a small cake and tastes like the best potato salad, only sharply citrusy and gently hot. It is served as a starter or light lunch, always chilled. The key is a very smooth, well-seasoned purée — it must hold its shape yet stay creamy, so the potatoes are mashed warm and seasoned once cool.
Your own work in that: 40 min.
- Boiling the potatoes 30 min
- Purée 20 min
- Filling 15 min
- Assembling 20 min
- Chilling 120 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneBoil the potatoes
Boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water for 25–30 minutes, until completely tender.
Ingredients: 1000 g floury potatoes · 2 pcs limes, juiced · 1 pcs yellow chilli (instead of ají amarillo) · 1 tsp sweet paprika · 3 tbsp rapeseed oil · 1½ tsp salt
Rice the potatoes
Peel them hot and press through a ricer. Spread the purée in a thin layer and leave 15 minutes to cool.
Ingredients: 1000 g floury potatoes · 2 pcs limes, juiced · 1 pcs yellow chilli (instead of ají amarillo) · 1 tsp sweet paprika · 3 tbsp rapeseed oil · 1½ tsp salt
Season the purée
Chop the chilli very finely (seeds removed). Work the purée with the lime juice, chilli, paprika, oil and salt until smooth and slightly elastic. Taste — it should be clearly sour and salty.
Ingredients: 1000 g floury potatoes · 2 pcs limes, juiced · 1 pcs yellow chilli (instead of ají amarillo) · 1 tsp sweet paprika · 3 tbsp rapeseed oil · 1½ tsp salt
Work it like dough — it must hold its shape.Make the filling
Mix the drained tuna with the mayonnaise, finely chopped onion, the juice of half the lime and pepper.
Ingredients: 300 g canned tuna, drained · 4 tbsp mayonnaise · ½ pcs red onion · 1 pcs lime, juiced · 1 pcs ripe avocado · ¼ tsp black pepper
Tuna with mayonnaise and lime.Prepare the avocado
Peel the avocado, slice it thinly and sprinkle with the rest of the lime juice so it does not darken.
Ingredients: 300 g canned tuna, drained · 4 tbsp mayonnaise · ½ pcs red onion · 1 pcs lime, juiced · 1 pcs ripe avocado · ¼ tsp black pepper
First layer
Line a 20 cm ring set on a platter with cling film (a loaf tin works too, and six small 8 cm rings are the surest option). Spread half the purée and press it flat with a spoon.
Ingredients: 1000 g floury potatoes · 2 pcs limes, juiced · 1 pcs yellow chilli (instead of ají amarillo) · 1 tsp sweet paprika · 3 tbsp rapeseed oil · 1½ tsp salt
Press each layer so the causa holds together.Fill and cover
Spread the tuna filling, then the avocado slices, then the rest of the purée. Level and press lightly.
Ingredients: 300 g canned tuna, drained · 4 tbsp mayonnaise · ½ pcs red onion · 1 pcs lime, juiced · 1 pcs ripe avocado · ¼ tsp black pepper
Chill and serve
Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or better overnight — only well chilled will the causa come out of the mould in one piece. Lift off the ring, garnish with sliced egg, olives and coriander, and serve cold.
Ingredients: 2 pcs hard-boiled eggs · 6 pcs black olives · ¼ bunch coriander
Before you start
Ají amarillo
A true causa gets its colour from ají amarillo paste, which brings fruity heat and a vivid yellow. Latin American shops sell it; without it use yellow chilli and sweet paprika, with a pinch of turmeric for colour.
Other fillings
In Peru causa is also filled with chicken mayonnaise, prawns, or just avocado and tomato. The proportions and assembly stay the same.
Storage
With mayonnaise and tuna it keeps 2 days in the fridge, covered. Keep it cold and never leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not freeze — potato and avocado lose their texture.
