Causa Limeña con pollo
History tells us that this dish was born during the Pacific War in 1879 when Chile fought against Peru and Bolivia. The Peruvian army had so much trouble getting food that women were collecting potatoes and other foods in all cities. So they created the meal they offered to soldiers “for the cause” (of defending their territory). Hence “causa”!
Potato mixture
5 pound bag gold potatoes
1 small lemon
1 small lime
Aji Amarillo paste, to taste (or yellow hot sauce)
2-3 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt to taste
Peel and boil potatoes for 20-30 minutes. Drain and mash well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Let cool.
Mayonnaise mixture
1 cup mayo
¼ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients well.
Boil 2 large chicken breasts. Let cool and shred. Stir in mayonnaise mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Roll a tennis ball size amount of potato mixture in your hands. Flatten out into a ½- ¾” circle and add a layer of chicken salad. Roll another ball and flatten on top of the chicken. Add another layer of chicken salad, topped with sliced avocado. Add one more layer of potato. Top with slices of tomato, avocado, sliced black olives and/or sliced hard boiled eggs. You can use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to make the cause look better. Serve cold. Serves 6-8