CookingDiva

We want to send all our love to the "Panamanian Mothers" in Panama, and all over the world. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for all of the work, time and love involved in bringing your children to this world and raising them to be people of goodness. Que Dios las bendiga a todas! Special hugs to Kelly , and to Yovanna's mom.

There is something else for you: a very special recipe, one that is traditional and loved until the last bite! This time it has been dressed up to the occasion by Chef Charlie Collins, one of Panama's top chefs and owner of "Ma Cuisine". (Gracias Charlie! por la receta). The photo was taken at the "Academia de Artes Culinarias"  owned by Chef Elena Hernandez. (Gracias Elena, y felicidades a ti tambien en el dia de las madres!)

You will learn how to prepare Carimañolas. It is a typical Panamanian - Colombian fried food served at breakfast in our homes, or as appetizers in parties. The shape is oval, it resembles a kibbe.

CARIMAÑOLAS DE CARNE CON SALSA PICANTE
(Cassava and Beef Fritters with Hot Sauce)

Fresh yuca is available in most Latin American markets. This root with a tough brown skin ranges from 8 to 16 inches in length and from 2 to 4 inches in diameter. When peeled, yuca reveals a crisp white hard flesh, which turns ivory in color when cooked in salted water. It is widely used in Panamanian Cuisine particularly in soups and in carimañolas.

Makes 12 carimañolas

For the yuca “masa”:
2 pounds fresh yuca
Salt to taste
Flour
Vegetable oil
For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon annatto paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped, approximately 1 cup
½ pound ground lean beef
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crumbled
2 fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon scotch bonnet hot sauce, optional*
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the yucca root in cylinders 4 inches in length, and then peel the thick brown skin off. Cut each cylinder in 4 sticks and place in a bowl with tap water while you peel the rest.
2. In a large pot bring salted water to a rolling boil. Add the yuca sticks and cook for approximately 15 to 25 minutes, or until it is tender but not mushy. Remove form the fire and strain allowing it to cool for about 1 hour. Cut the yuca sticks into small cubes.
3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the yuca in two or three parts, until it is completely mashed to a smooth, thick consistency. Place the purée in a large bowl and keep covered until ready to form the carimañolas.
4. Prepare the meat filling. In a medium skillet, heat the oil with the annatto paste. Add the garlic, onion and ground beef and cook until the meat is slightly brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the filling at medium heat until most of the meat juices have evaporated and the filling is moist but not juicy. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely.
5. To form the carimañolas, wet your hands with a little oil and take a small amount of the mashed yucca in the palm of your hand. Roll the yuca between both hands and work it to the shape of an egg. Press your finger in the middle to make room for one teaspoon of the filling. Press the the filling in, close the carimañola, and finish giving it an oval shape. Dust with flour and place in a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat the process until you have made 12 carimañolas.
6. In a large skillet, add enough oil and heat to about 350°F. Fry the carimañolas turning them often until they are light brown. Drain over paper towels and serve hot with Salsa Picante!

To get other delicious recipes using "cassava", take a moment to visit Chef Melissa's Recipe Index

Tags: cassava, recipe, cookingdiva, chef, panama, yuca

The seedy types are the normal and these are used for their seeds, which resemble chestnuts. The seedless varieties, preferred as a food, are all mutant forms.

The fruits of seedy varieties fall when ripe and soft. They should be picked up promptly to avoid spoilage, and then removed from the pulp by hand. The seeds are used immediately or are superficially dried to hold for a few days. The most common techniques is to boil the seeds for about an hour with salt, then...after cooled they are peeled by hand. They may be eaten directly, mashed and combined with other foods, and can also be used as nuts when baking.

The fruits of seedless varieties will not fall until ripe, and in doing so mash themselves into a useless and dirty pulp! Since their useful life is short (one week aprox.), the fruits are normally harvested as needed for eating or selling fresh. They can be harvested at any stage. In fact, the male and female flower buds are often taken as a cooked vegetable.

A practical technique to cook this fruit is to cut it up into pieces, about the same size as those of boiled potatoes. They are often peeled but it is not really necessary to do so. The hard and more fibrous core is usually discarded. The pieces are baked until soft and then used just as a potato. Alternatively the partially cooked piece may be cut in slices and fried. The cooked and mashed breadfruit can be used to prepare baked goods in partial substitution for flour.

To prepare Breadfruit Flour: pound or grind dried breadfruit. Sift and repeat the process until all the flour is sifted. Store the flour in an airtight jar. It can be used instead of wheat flour in many recipes.

To dry Breadfruit: this process is usually done by the sun or in a very slow oven (50°C or 120°F). Wash mature breadfruit and cut it into pieces. Peel and core it. Slice very thinly, place on racks, and put in the sun to dry. When well dried, wrap in plastic bags or leaves so as to keep out moisture. Dried breadfruit is an excellent addition to soups and stews.

Another way of drying breadfruit is to cook it first and then mash it into paste. Dry the paste in the sun and store in airtight containers.

Now, the Yummy recipe!

Breadfruit & Crab Rolls served with Guacamole Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1lb (16 oz) crab meat
• 1/2 lb (8 oz) cooked breadfruit
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup yellow bell peppers, chopped
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon peel, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

1. Wash and cut breadfruit into 8 slices, peel and core. Cook in boiling, salted water, just until soft. Drain the water and let cool.
2. Heat pan and sautee the shallots, peppers, thyme and basil leaves until tender. Add crab meat, and grated lime peel. Combine well and remove from stove. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Mash breadfruit, then stir in the egg, lime juice and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Form into a smooth dough and let stand 5 minutes
4. Roll dough into balls then pat out into flat circles and place a spoon full of crab mixture in the center of dough and fold in half to cover the filling. Pinch edges to seal and place in greased baking pan. Brush with little butter and BAKE in a pre-heated 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) until golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and serve on a bed of mixed salad greens and Guacamole Salad.

6. To make the guacamole salad: combine chopped tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, little garlic and ripe avocado. Season to taste with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve in a tomato cup made by scooping out the meat of a tomato.

   Buen Provecho!

Tags: crab cake, breadfruit, cookingdiva, chef, panama, fruta de pan

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