Palta Rellena

It’s been just over three years since we visited Peru. While I was not in the mood for food most of the time due to extreme altitude sickness, Larry and especially Edith enjoyed Palta Rellena (or Palta a la Reina, depending upon what menu we looked at) quite a bit.

The small, local cookbook I bought in Peru doesn’t have a recipe for Palta Rellena, but there are plenty floating around on the Internet. I took advantage of the great avocados we’ve had at the market lately and crafted my own recipe. This makes a nice light lunch for four, or a heavier dinner for two if it’s made in our house.

Palta Rellena
Adapted from: Inti Aperture
Serves 4.

Ingredients
For the filling:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the avocados:
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut in half
1 lime, halved
1 large egg, hard-boiled and sliced lengthwise
6 oz. mixed green lettuce
freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Make the filling:
Place the olive oil and carrots in a medium nonstick skillet with enough water to cover the carrots. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is gone. Add additional water as needed until the carrots are tender. Add the the corn and cook briefly, until warm. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, gently mix the carrots and corn with the chicken, mayonnaise and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the avocados:
Using a large spoon, spoon out some of the center of the avocado, enlarging the hole from the pit. Reserve the removed avocado for another use. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the avocado to help preserve its freshness. Add a sprinkle of salt to the top.

Place a handful of mixed green lettuce on each plate. Place one half avocado on each pile of lettuce. Scoop a quarter of the filling into the center of each avocado half, allowing the mixture to overflow on the greens. Place several hard boiled egg slices on top of the filling. Top with a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Palta Rellena (adapted from Inti Aperture)