Avocado Reina Recipe from El Gran Inka

Photo by Riki Altman

Peru's queen is looking a little green.

We spotted this glorious dish being served at El Gran Inka and just had to ask for the recipe from yesterday's interviewee, director of culinary operations Javier Angeles-Beron. This "avocado queen" is colorful, light, fresh and not too fattening, plus it's so easy to make that you can do it blindfolded. But don't--we don't want to get sued.

Oh, and yes we promised you the recipe for a pisco sour, too, but you're just gonna have to wait until Wednesday. Teasing you is just so tempting. Call it cocktail cruelty.

Avocado Reina with Rocoto Pepper Aioli
Serves 1

½ avocado, ripe, but firm and sliced thinly
½ cup cooked shrimp (or rare shrimp sautéed with olive oil and garlic)
½ cup carrots, boiled
½ cup peas, boiled
½ cup Idaho potatoes, boiled and diced
lettuce
2 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
¼ hard boiled egg
lime for juicing

Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise
1 rocoto pepper

Directions: Seed and devein the rocoto. Blanche in about 4 cups of water. Drain and place in blender. Process until the rocoto forms a creamy paste. Add rocoto paste to the mayonnaise and mix thoroughly until the sauce is a rosy pink color. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Toss the carrots, shrimp, peas, and potatoes together with a bit of the aioli. Plate by stacking the avocado on the outside, then rest a bed of lettuce leaves in the center to add height. Above the lettuce, fill the center with the shrimp and veggie mixture. Add olives and hard boiled egg last. Squeeze a touch of lime juice over the entire plate, then drizzle aioli on top to taste and store the rest.

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