Lausanne Guide
Causa can be described as a mini-casserole, with a top and bottom composed of mashed potato and a filling of fish, meat, vegetables – basically anything you can think off. Some believe this dish was created for the Peruvian soldiers during the War of the Pacific against Chile in the 1880s.
The recipe below was given to us by Odette Calderon from Guatemala. She is the mother of Rodrigo who is an ISL student.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until they are tender and cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them. Put the potatoes through a ricer or mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in the oil, chile paste, lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Line a casserole dish or baking pan with plastic wrap, pressing it down to fit the dish. Spread half the potatoes into the bottom of the dish and smooth out.
- Spread the avocado slices and crab salad evenly over the potatoes. Spread the remaining potatoes over the filling. Press down gently to firm up your causa. Cover and chill for approximately 30 minutes.
- Lay a serving platter upside down over the top of the causa dish, and use both hands to flip the dish and platter over in order to let the causa fall on the platter. Discard the plastic wrap.
- Garnish the causa with hard-boiled eggs and olives. Cut into portions and enjoy!
Gradient Issue #2: The magazine of the International School of Lausanne
In this edition, we explore how our community has coped during this special year to make the best of it. We also have a special section on multilingualism and how it can both benefit and challenge our students.