Wine Dine and Play: Papa Rellena

(Peruvian Stuffed Potatoes)

A Wine, Dine, and Play Recipe

By: Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Executive Chef

Papa rellena is a delicious Peruvian comfort food, similar to mashed potato pancakes, but with a surprise ground beef center. They are the most popular type of croquettes in Peru and other Latin American countries such as Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The first recorded Latin American recipes were printed in the late 19th century, during a time when French cuisine was influencing those of Latin America. In this recipe I modify the dish to exclude mash potatoes and stuff the beef into a whole potato.

Yum

Recipe		Information
Servings:	5	Ready In:	7h 30m
Prep Time:	45m	Cuisine Origin:	Peruvian
Cook Time:	1h 25m	Category:	Side dish
Inactive / cooling Time:	4h	Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Ingredients	Amount in Imperial Measurement			Metric Measurement	Amount Per Serving:	total amount	Equipment and Tools (Mis en Place)
Whole Potatoes	5	----		----	Amount Per Serving:	1 croquette	Cutting boards^[1](green, and red)
Olive oil, extra virgin	1	tbsp	14	mL	Carbohydrates:	32g	Chef knife
White onion	1	----		----	Total Fat:	23g	Baking sheet pan
Garlic cloves	3	----		----	Sugar:	5g	Saute pan
Green bell capsicum pepper	1	----		----	Sodium:	406mg	Wire whip
Ají amarillo pepper^[4]or yellow bell capsicum pepper	1	----		----	Calories:	399 kcal	Deep fat fryer, or a saucepan
Ground Beef	1	lb	1/2	kg	Cholesterol (LDL):	148mg	Thermometer
Ground paprika	1	tsp	5	g	Protein:	9.3g	Measuring spoons
Ground cumin	1	tbsp	14	g	Dietary Fiber:	1.5g	3 kitchen bowls
Beef Broth Base	2	tsp	10	g	Potassium:	260mg	Potato peeler
Potable water	1/2	cup	118	mL	Vitamin A %DV.	2.2%	Skimmer or tongs
Kosher salt	1	tsp	5	g	Vitamin C %DV.	14.3%
Ground black pepper	1	tsp	5	g
Raisins	1/4	cup	59	g
Green olives (optional)	5-7	----		----
Tomato paste	1	tbsp	14	g
Distilled white vinegar	1	tbsp	14	mL
Flour	1	cup	237	g
Salt and pepper to taste		----		----
Vegetable oil	3	cup	591	mL
Eggs, large	5	----		----
Bread for breadcrumbs	8-10 slices	----		----
Understand Metric & Imperial Conversions

Method		Notes for Preparation
1. See the Notes for Preparation section (to the right) for vegetables in this recipe. I deviated from the traditional recipe which requires mashed potatoes instead of stuffed a whole potato, but you can do either recipe. In this recipe the green cutting board is used for fruits and vegetables only.		Wash, sanitize^[2], and rinse the potatoes, onion, garlic, green bell pepper, and theAjí amarillo pepper^[4]to clean thoroughly.
2. After washing the whole potato, generously apply some salt and pepper to the skin, place in a baking sheet pan, and preheat your oven to 350°f (177^oC), for one hour
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. If your using the mashed potato method, then cool the potatoes for roughly 3 hours until they are at 41°f (5^oC).		Mashed potato version: the original recipe calls for you to peel the potato skins, boil, then mash up and cool for 4-6 hours.
4. On a green cutting board^[1], cut both of the peppers, removing the stem and all seeds, then finally chop.		Once the meat mixture is prepared you stuff it inside a bowl of the mash potatoes and put a topping on it.
5. On the green board^[1], peel the onion, and dice		I used a whole potato for a fancier presentation, and found that it tastes just as good.
6. Peel the skin from the garlic, press them with your chef knife to crush, then mince them on the green cutting board^[1]as well.
7. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat add the olive oil, garlic, and onions, cooking for 6-8 minutes until the onions caramelize^[3], then add the two peppers, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, stirring regularly.
8. Add the ground beef, and reduce the heat to a steady medium, mixing with a spoon. Also add the seasonings, raisins, and minced olives.
9. Take the beef base powder or paste and reconstitute it with the water. You can follow the instructions provided on the packet or use the measurement above.
10. Cook for about ten minutes until the beef starts to brown, then add the vinegar and tomato paste. Lower the heat to a medium-low, cover the pan with a lid, and check on it to stir every few minutes, removing after about fifteen minutes.
11. Remove the sauce pan from the stove and let the meat cool off for about 20-30 minutes
12. take the potatoes out of the refrigerator. If using the mashed method, follow the instructions under the notes for preparation (to the right). For the whole potato method, cut the potato lengthwise in half, remove the potato from once side leaving an empty bowl. Add the beef mixture to that side, then close the potato back up.
13. Set up three kitchen bowls, one containing the 4 cracked and whipped eggs, another with flour, and the third with the breadcrumbs
14. Dip the potato into the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the eggs, removing the excess, and the final dip into the breadcrumbs. Place the potato on a baking sheet pan or other container, and repeat the process for the other potatoes.
15. Cover the pan, and place tit in a freezer for two hours to help seal the potato so that it doesn’t separate when you fry it.
16. Place a saucepan on the stove top under high heat filled with the vegetable oil. Remove the potatoes from the freezer, then one at a time, carefully place into the oil once the oil has reached a temperature of 375°f (191^oC). Fry the potato until it is a golden brown color, roughly 3-5 minutes. Using a skimmer, or tongs remove the potato from the fry oil and place onto a baking sheet pan. Once all five are done, place them in the oven at 325°f (163^oC), for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°f (77^oC), for fifteen seconds.
Assembly		Drink Recommendations For Dish
1. Handling the potato carefully, either serve it whole on the plate as a side item, or cut it down the middle		Potable Water
2. I like to eat it topped with some Ají verde sauce (see recipe here), or even some sour cream.		Cusqueña Premium Peruvian Beer
4. See the drink recommendations (to the right) for this dish		Rum Nation Peruano

Notes and Citations:		Temperature Cooking Chart
1. One of the most common causes of food-related illness (a.k.a food poisoning) is something called cross-contamination, (transfer of harmful bacteria from one food product to another) by way of contaminated tools. Cutting boards are a prime culprit. Using separate, color-coded cutting boards for ingredients is a great way of preventing illness. The colors help you keep track of which cutting boards are reserved for which types of foods, so that you don’t cut lettuce on the same board you used for cutting raw poultry.		Blue 100-110°f (38-43^oC) Pittsburg (B&B) 115°f (46^oC) Rare 120-125°f (49-52^oC) Medium Rare 130°f (54^oC) Medium 140-145°f (60-63^oC) Medium Well 150°f (66^oC) Well done 155-160°f (68-71^oC)
2. In accordance to food safety regulation (21 CFR Part 173) specifies two conditions for the permitted use of hypochlorite solutions (bleach) in washing produce: The concentration of sanitizer in the wash water must not exceed 200 ppm (Parts Per Million).The produce must be rinsed with potable water following the chlorine treatment.		Seafood 135-140°f (58-60^oC) Roast Beef 145°f (63^oC) Roast Pork 145°f (63^oC) Ground Beef or Pork 155°f (68^oC) Poultry 165°f (77^oC)
3. Caramelization is a process in cooking resulting in a nutty flavor and brown color. When you slowly cook onions over an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, making the result intensely and wonderfully flavorful. Grand Food Dictionary Online
4. Ají amarillo is a Peruvian pepper; "Ají" means chile pepper in Spanish, and "amarillo" means yellow. But although they are named yellow chile peppers, their color changes to orange as they mature. The famous Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio recently named Ají amarillo the most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking. Grand Food Dictionary Online