I showed up at Jimmy and Rachel Alvarado’s house all kinds of excited. I couldn’t wait to find out what he was preparing for our “In the Kitchen with …” story this month. I wasn’t disappointed. Jimmy was making causa, which is a Peruvian dish made with layers of mashed potato and any variety of items you may fancy, like chicken, tuna, or lobster. Two main ingredients for Peruvian Causa are potatoes and aji amarillo, which is a yellow pepper paste.
“I do fusion food, so today I’m making a New England and Peruvian Causa with Tuna,” Alvarado said. “Since we’re in New England and seafood is so popular here, I think tuna is a fish that represents New England very well.”
Jimmy’s wife, Rachel, joined in. The married couple own TigerHawk restaurant in Oak Bluffs, which is in its fourth season. TigerHawk is a family-owned and -operated sandwich shop crafting Peruvian fusion cuisine through artisanal sandwiches, fried chicken sandwiches, ramen, bao buns, and more. The Alvarados also own a catering business called On Time Catering, and make their own hot sauce, which can be found at many local establishments, including Alias Coffee, Edgartown Meat and Fish Market, and many more.
Jimmy isn’t the only cook in the house. Rachel also cooks. “I cook at the restaurant, but it’s not something I ever thought I’d do,” Rachel said. “I’ve always really loved baking. I’m good at following a recipe, where Jimmy is like, ‘Cooking is a feeling — it’s love,’ and he follows his instincts.”
Born in Peru, Jimmy came to the U.S. when he was 10 years old. He’s been on the Island for 15 years. Growing up, he was surrounded by a family of chefs. “I’ve been cooking since I was maybe 5 or 6,” he said. “It was a hobby until I was 25 and started professionally. My family is full of chefs. My father and my brother are chefs in Peru, my uncle is a chef, my cousins in Florida are all chefs.”
The ingredients for our New England and Peruvian Causa with Tuna included Yukon gold potatoes, tuna, red onion, beets, scallions, avocado, limes, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Alvarado started by boiling the potatoes. “Peel and simmer them on low heat with a little sea salt until they’re tender,” Jimmy said. Once boiled, Jimmy put the potatoes through a ricer, which sliced them thin, almost like hash browns. Next he added lime juice, and one teaspoon of aji amarillo, then mixed the potatoes into a mash.
Jimmy placed the tuna into a small bowl and dressed it with nuoc cham sauce. “Nuoc cham sauce is a Vietnamese-style dressing,” he said. “I’m making my version of it with two tablespoons of lime juice, one tablespoon of fish sauce, and one teaspoon of aji amarillo paste.”
Now came the fun layering part. Jimmy put a ring mold on a plate and scooped some potato mash into the ring. He sliced up some avocado and gathered his garnishes: beets, cherry tomatoes, red onion, scallions, and cilantro. On top of the potato, he added the sliced avocado, followed by the tuna, then the tomatoes, red onion, scallions, and beets.
“Beets are earthy, and will add to the flavor. And they’re colorful, so we have yellows, greens, reds, and purples in this dish,” Alvarado said. “I like to play with garnishes.”
When it was all layered into the mold, he removed it, and we could see all the layers. It was a colorful piece of art. “The colors remind me of the Rainbow Mountains in Peru,” Rachel said. And she was right! The Rainbow Mountains in Peru are considered to be one of the most beautiful natural wonders in South America, and Jimmy’s New England and Peruvian Causa was increasingly becoming a natural wonder to my taste buds. I was dying to try it.
Jimmy split it into three helpings. We had tasty Inca Kola, Peruvian soda, to accompany the meal. WOW! The Causa was refreshing, bright, spicy, but not too spicy, and a joy to eat. Of course it won’t be as good as Jimmy’s, but I think I’m going to take a shot at making this. I can’t wait.
New England and Peruvian Causa with Tuna
Makes 4 generous servings.
8 oz. tuna, diced small
3 to 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
10 limes
aji amarillo paste (sold at Cash and Carry)
small bunch scallions, diced
fish sauce
ricer for potatoes
2 avocados, sliced
Garnishes:
½ red onion, diced
cherry tomatoes cut in half
cooked beets, diced
cilantro, chopped
For Causa (potato mash)
3 to 4 medium to large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon of aji amarillo
10 limes squeezed for juice; reserve 4 juiced limes for potatoes
Salt to taste, about ½ Tbsp.
In a medium pot, add 2 Tbsp. salt and enough water to cover peeled potatoes. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, and immediately pass through the ricer. Transfer directly to a mixing bowl. Add the juice of 4 limes, the aji amarillo paste, and mix with a rubber spatula. Place in fridge to cool.
For nuoc cham
6 limes, squeezed
1 Tbsp. aji amarillo
2 Tbsp. scallions, chopped
fish sauce (same amount as lime juice)
Mix in a bowl with a whisk.
Place a ring mold on the center of the plate. Spread some of the potato mash into your mold, leaving ⅔ of space for additional items. Place sliced avocado to cover all sides. Mix tuna with the nuoc cham dressing, and leave some for garnishing. Place tuna on top of the avocado. In the same bowl, add the garnishes: beet, tomatoes, onions, scallions, etc. Mix with remaining nuoc cham. Place this on the very top of the tuna. Remove the mold and enjoy!
