THE DARING COOKS’ MARCH, 2011 CHALLENGE: ¡ME ENCANTA PERÚ! CEVICHE & PAPAS RELLENAS

I am really enjoying being a member of The Daring Kitchen even though I have a lot of professional and home experience in the cooking department sometimes it is just too hard too come up with new ideas so having someone give them to me is really great.

Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenged us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra.

Recipe Source: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by my Spanish teacher Mayra. Vegan Papas Rellenas recipe adapted from the Vegan Good Eats blog (http://vegangoodeats.com/2010/05/papa-rellena/), written by Joel Luks. The Salsa Criolla recipe also comes from Joel’s blog.

Papas Rellenas, Kathlyn referred to them as 'essentially a clever way to use up leftover potatoes. The filling is usually made with beef, but I’ve got an alternative recipe that should work for both vegetarians and vegans'. they are so much more, in our house there are no leftover potatoes unless they are planned leftovers. so I jumped into these pretty damn quick let me tell you.
I didn't make the ceviche, I don't mind this type of seafood but The Husband is not a fan so I didn't do it yet. There were a few variations done by members where they cooked the seafood first and that is certainly on the cards for the future.

I did however make three variations of the Papas Rellenas. All I can say is "WOW". they were so good. Stuffed Fried potato croquettes is the closest thing to these but these were so much better. I am putting these on the top of the favorite comfort food pile let me tell you.
So let me present to you Papas Rellenas

Time taken/needed
Papas rellenas – total time, 5+ hours - There is a lot of cooling/setting time in there.
Boiling and cooling potatoes: 2 hours
Preparing filling: 1 hour (can be done as potatoes cool)
Preparing dough: 30 minutes
Shaping and filling papas: 30 minutes
Chilling in the refrigerator to set the crumbs: 30 - 60 minutes
Frying papas: 20-30 minutes (depending on how many batches)

Equipment Required
For the Papas Rellenas
Potato ricer (recommended) or a potato masher
Pan capable of holding 2” (50 mm) of oil for frying the Papas (small dutch oven is ideal)
Frying pan for cooking filling(s)
Medium mixing bowl
Three smaller bowls or pie pans
Measuring cups and spoons
Pot for boiling potatoes

Papas Rellenas (de carne):
Makes 6
Ingredients
For the dough:
2¼ lb (1 kg) russet or a good mashing potato (Theres a table here to give you some information)
1 large egg

For the filling:
2 tablespoon (30 ml) of a light flavored oil
½ lb (250 grams) finely chopped mushrooms or fine mince steak
6 black olives, pitted and chopped (use more if you love olives)
1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup (240 ml))
½ cup (120 ml) (90 gm) (3 oz) sultanas, soaked in 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water for 10 minutes, then chopped
1 finely diced capsicum (ok to sub jalapeño or other pepper – if you are shy about heat, use less)
2 cloves garlic, minced or passed through a press (if you love garlic, add more)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (4 gm) (1/8 oz) ground cumin (use more if you like cumin)
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) (2 gm) (1/16 oz) sweet paprika
¼ c. white wine, water or beef stock for deglazing
½ cup tomato chutney
Salt and pepper to taste

For the final preparation:
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) all-purpose flour
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash salt
1 cup dry (240 ml) (110 gm) (4 oz) or fresh (240 ml) (60 gm) (2 oz) cornflake or bread crumbs (you can use regular, panko, make your own or use store-bought. I used the cornflake crumbs, mainly because I had them in the pantry.
Rice Bran Oil for frying (enough for 2” (50 mm) in a heavy pan like a medium sized dutch oven)

Directions:
For the dough:
1. Boil unpeeled potatoes whole until tender when stuck with a fork. Let potatoes cool.
2. When potatoes are cooled, peel them and either mash them with a potato masher or force them through a potato ricer (preferred).
3. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper and knead “dough” thoroughly to ensure that ingredients are well combined and uniformly distributed.

While potatoes are cooling, make filling:
1. Caramelize onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook.
3. Add the cumin and paprika and cook briefly (a few seconds).
4. Add the mushrooms or meat and cook until soft.
5. Add the sultanas.
6. Deglaze the pan with white wine and chutney.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Allow filling to cool before forming “papas.”

Finishing the dough and forming the papas:
9. Use three small bowls (or other shallow containers) to prepare the papas. In one, combine flour, cayenne and salt. In the second, combine the egg replacer and water. Put bread crumbs in the third
10. Flour your hands and scoop up 1/6 of the total dough to make a round pancake with your hands. Make a slight indentation in the middle for the filling.
11. Spoon a generous amount of filling into the center and then roll the potato closed, forming a smooth, potato-shaped casing around the filling. Repeat will all dough (you should have 6 papas)
12. Heat 1 ½ - 2 inches (4 – 5 cm) of oil in a pan to about 350 – 375° F (175 - 190°C).

13. Dip each papa in the three bowls to coat: first roll in flour, then dip in egg replacer, then roll in bread crumbs, then repeat the egg and bread crumbs

14. Fry the papas (in batches if necessary) about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip once in the middle of frying to get both sides.

15. Drain on a cooling rack over paper towel, this stops them going soggy and keep them warm in a low oven 200°F (95°C) (gas mark ¼) if frying in batches




For my second version I used some lentil burgers I had frozen earlier in the year. This is the best Lentil Burger Recipe ever. I got it years ago from my sister in law and it is a staple in our house. Even our carnivore friends love it.

Lentil Burger Recipe.
500g/1 pound Green-Brown Lentils (this is a type of lentil it doesn't mean green or brown. If you can't get these use a mixture of green and brown lentils)
1 kilogram/2pounds Potato (ponitac,pink eye or sebagoes work best)– peeled, cut into large chunks
375 grams/12 ounces Crunchy Peanut Butter
500 grams/1 pound Onion – Peeled and finely diced
60 mls/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Powdered cumin
½ bunch Fresh coriander – washed and finely chopped
2 Eggs – beaten or for the vegans if the mixture is not holding together add 1/2 cup plain wheat, cornflour or tapioca flour. Mix until it does hold together.
Chilli - optional To taste

Directions
Put potatoes into a large pot and cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil.
When the water boils add the lentils and cook until the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Drain off excess water.
While the potatoes and lentils are boiling fry onion, cumin and chilli until the onion is cooked.
Add to drained and mashed potato/lentil mix with coriander.
Mix well and allow to cool.
Add egg and mix well.
Form into patties. Freezes well. Can be panfried or reheated in oven. Also good cooked in a loaf tin in 180° C oven and then sliced.
* If just using brown lentils add ½ cup plain flour with eggs.

I used these the same way I did the mash potato dough.


For the third variation I used the mashed potato dough and stuffed them with creme fraiche sprinkled with dried dill and wrapped in smoked salmon.

We had them as is, with a dollop of creme fraiche and lemon. They were so delicous.
I do love The Daring Kitchen. If you want to see more I keep telling you if you haven't already joined then you'll just have to go and do so.