It is prime barbeque season, and it’s time to add some crunchy and salty bacon to your summer menu. Saturday, September 5th is a day of celebration: International Bacon Day! And to celebrate Ingrid Hoffmann, celebrity chef and host of Telemundo’s “Top Chef Estrellas,”  helps add Latin flavor when out in the sun entertaining guests. Stand out at your next gathering with her Ham & Bacon Peruvian Causa, the perfect dish for any summer occasion. Serve it as a side dish or the main dish. Either way, that awesome smoked bacon taste will surely have your guests asking for seconds.

“My secret ingredient in this dish is the bacon! It’s such a versatile ingredient that adds texture and crunch to any dish so I love working it into my Ham & Bacon Peruvian Causa. I personally like using Smithfield Hometown Original Thick Cut Bacon because it provides a rich smoky flavor,” says Hoffmann.

The Causa is served cold so it’s a perfect dish to bring to a picnic. Just place in a cooler and serve when you’re ready to eat.

Ham & Bacon Peruvian Causa
Created by chef Ingrid Hoffmann
Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Potato Mash
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1Ž2 cup oil
1Ž4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons yellow ají paste
salt and pepper to taste

Filling
1 (12 ounce) package Smithfield Hometown Original Bacon, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package Smithfield Anytime Favorite Hickory Smoked Diced Ham
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (diced carrots, corn & peas), thawed
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1Ž2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
pepper to taste

To serve
2 hardboiled eggs, quartered
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Place the potatoes in a large 6-quart pot with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, approximately 45 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, mix oil, lime juice, yellow ají paste, salt and pepper.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, mash them until smooth (you can use a ricer). Stir in oil/ ají mixture and mix well.
To make the filling; heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crisp, about 7-10 minutes total (cook in 2 batches if needed). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool completely.
In a medium bowl, combine bacon, ham, vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard and pepper, stir until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Empty a tuna can, wash it very well and remove the bottom using a can opener to create a round-shaped mold. Press potato mixture into the tuna can mold. Top with ham, bacon and vegetable filling and cover with another 3-inch layer of potato mixture. Remove the mold and garnish with hardboiled eggs, black olives and parsley.