It has been a long winter and I have been sadly remiss with postings. We recently got a new computer, so that will help make blogging easier. I’ve also updated the theme for a fresh new appearance and to add the search capability which I had been sadly missing when I was trying to find specific recipes!
In January we took a winter-time vacation to summer-time weather and boarded a cruise that visited ports in the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba. As in all our travels we look for shore excursions that feature the culture, history and foods of that destination. Many of these islands are municipalities of the Netherlands and have a Dutch influence. On Aruba we took a Walking and Tasting tour and afterwards we stuck around to ask our guide for a restaurant recommendation that would offer authentic native cuisine. He did not disappoint us. Another couple was also interested in an Aruban lunch so we went together for a short ride to Peanuts in downtown Oranjestad.
I also asked our guide what he would order if he were having lunch. He immediately answered Keshi Yena. Of course, I heard the pronunciation, but didn’t ask how it was spelled. The server brought us menus and I scoured the offerings trying to find something that looked like what I’d heard. I took a stab and got lucky. At first the wrong dish was brought out due to a bit of a language barrier and I asked to see the menu again and pointed out my selection. He was very apologetic and went right back to the kitchen to put the order in. Everyone went ahead and started eating while I waited and my patience was rewarded. We shared tastes of this chicken dish at the table and everyone agreed it was the best of all of the entrees we tried. The story behind the dish is that families would purchase large 4lb. rounds of Gouda or Edam cheese, cut the top off and scoop out what they needed until it was nearly gone. When only a lining of cheese remained inside the wax, they filled the shell with a mixture of cooked thinly-sliced chicken or beef, raisins, capers, tomatoes, onions and spices, put the wax lid back on, sealed it with an egg wash then steamed or baked the entire thing. The cheese melted and this delicious dish resulted! Fried plantains, banana cornbread and pan bati, an Aruban bread, were served alongside.
When we got home I found this website that had recipes for some of the foods we ate while on the island.
Last Fall we won an in-home wine tasting for 12 and this weekend we invited some friends over to try the wines and share a Caribbean-inspired dinner. The full menu included Beef Empanadas, cured meats and cheeses, deconstructed Margarita Shrimp, Tropical Salad in a jar, Cuban Ropa Vieja (slow-cooked shredded beef), Jamaican Rice and Peas, Caribbean Corn, Steamed Broccoli, Panna Cotta with Rum Caramel Sauce and Sea Salt, Mini Rum Cream Cheesecakes and Macarons filled with a white chocolate and mango center. With a little trial and error I adapted this recipe for the Keshi Yena. If you were really adventurous, you could look for a large cheese and follow the traditional recipe, but I chose to use cheese slices instead.
Keshi Yena (“Filled Cheese”)
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs (or use all white meat, if you prefer)
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided use
- 2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh curly parsley, minced
- few drops Tabasco sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 cup pimento olives, sliced
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons piccalilli (can be found in international markets)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 lbs. of sliced Edam or Gouda cheese (do NOT use smoked cheese – it does not melt well)
- 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
Slice the chicken into very thin strips about 2 inches long. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and sauté the chicken strips in batches just until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove to a dish and set aside. In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the sliced onions for 3-5 minutes until softened. Next add the green pepper and sauté 2-3 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir occasionally. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the ketchup, sliced olives, capers, raisins and piccalilli sauce. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and stir. Simmer until the tomatoes are reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the beaten eggs to the meat mixture and stir well. Generously butter or use non-stick cooking spray to coat the inside of a casserole dish. Layer half of the cheese slices over the bottom and up the sides of the casserole dish overlapping the slices to create a mock shell. Pour half of the meat mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the diced hard-boiled eggs over this layer. Pour the remaining meat mixture over the egg layer. Layer the remaining cheese slices over the top of the meat mixture. Set the casserole in a larger pan with 1 1/2 -2 inches of hot water in it, be careful not to overfill the water as the heavy pan will displace it and may overflow. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately while the cheese is hot and melty. It will firm up again if left to cool for long.
Jamaican Rice and Beans
Serves 8
- 8 ounces small dried red beans or 8 ounces red kidney beans
- 1 quart water
- 16 ounces chicken stock or water
- 1/2 cup coconut cream (not coconut milk)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 green onions, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup of white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cups uncooked long grain rice
If using dried beans, rinse and sort the beans and place in a stockpot. Cover with 2-3 inches of water and soak overnight or bring to a boil, boil gently for 3 minutes, then remove from heat, cover and allow to sit untouched for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the chicken stock and coconut cream and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until beans are tender and creamy. Add the thyme, allspice, green onion, onion, garlic, brown sugar, uncooked rice, salt and pepper. Check the level of the liquid over the rice and be sure to cover by at least one inch. Add more stock or water if needed to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.
Here is a link to the Banana Cornbread recipe, which was delicious!
The Pan Bati recipe may be found on the Visit Aruba website recipes section. All in all in was a very good dinner with some unusual new flavor combinations. I will try to get some of the other recipes posted later this week. This is a menu I would definitely repeat!
Some Enchanted Eating 