Cuban Potato Croquettes With Beef Picadillo Papas Rellenas De P Recipes

CLASSIC CUBAN-STYLE PICADILLO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic, onion, and green bell pepper in the hot oil until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Crumble ground beef into the skillet; cook and stir until browned completely, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir olives, raisins, capers, tomato sauce, sazon seasoning, cumin, sugar, and salt through the ground beef mixture.
• Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until the mixture is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

(PAPAS RELLENAS DE PICADILLO) MEAT-STUFFED POTATO CROQUETTES

Steps:

• PICADILLO FILLING: Mix together beef, garlic, peppers, scallions, olives, raisins, capers, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, tomato sauce, and sherry in a bowl. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with the back of a spoon, for 30-40 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove bay leaves.
• CROQUETTES: Put potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold salted water, and simmer over medium heat until soft, 25-30 minutes. Drain, then mash with a potato masher until smooth. Set aside to cool. Beat yolks into potatoes one at a time, add nutmeg and parsley, and season to taste with salt. Whisk whites in a bowl just until soft peaks form, then set aside.
• Take 1 cup of the picadillo mixture. Oil palms of your hands, then shape 1/4 cup of potato mixture into a ball. Make an indentation in the center of the ball, then flatten it into a 4'' concave disk about 1/2'' thick. Fill center with 1 tablespoon picadillo. Cup potato mixture up and around filling. Pinch together to seal, reshaping to form a smooth ball. Dip ball into beaten egg whites, then into bread crumbs. Repeat process with remaining potato mixture and picadillo.
• Pour oil into a deep skillet to a depth of 2'' and heat until about 350° on a candy thermometer. Fry fritters in batches until golden brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• NOTE: Don't be frightened by the calorie count, since the amount is being calculated based on the whole picadillo recipe, not just the 1 cup needed for filling the croquettes.

PAPAS RELLENAS (CUBAN STUFFED POTATO BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot away from the heat. Mash the potatoes or push through a potato ricer. It should be easy to shape into a ball (but don't shape them yet). Allow to set until cool enough to touch.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned. Stir in the garlic and onion until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain excess grease. Add the tomato sauce and wine, then lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the olives and season with the spices and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes then remove from the heat. If the meat mixture is not at the consistency you desire, you can transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times to hash it up. This is completely optional.
• Scoop 1/4 cup portions of the potatoes and divide each in half. Press a dimple into the middle of each half to form small bowl like shapes. Stuff a tablespoon or two of the meat mixture into half of the bowls, then cover with the other halves and form a ball around the meat. None of the meat should be exposed.
• In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and flour. Dip each ball first into the beat eggs, then into the bread crumbs. Repeat for a crunchier texture. Layer on a lined baking sheet or large platter and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before frying.
• Pour enough oil into a frying pan that is enough to cover half of the height of the balls. Heat the oil to 375 °F. Carefully drop the stuffed potatoes in the hot oil and fry on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately.

CUBAN MOJO POTATOES

Steps:

• Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the countertop.
• -Place all the ingredients (except cilantro) on top of the foil.
• -Fold up the foil to create a tightly sealed package.
• -Lay a second sheet of aluminum foil on the counter and double wrap the potatoes. Make sure the package is tightly sealed.
• -Place the potatoes over the hottest part of the grill.
• -Turn every 10 minutes, for about 40-50 minutes.
• -Open the foil packet and pour the potatoes, add cilantro (or parsley) and stir to combine.

CUBAN POTATO CROQUETTES WITH BEEF PICADILLO (PAPAS RELLENAS DE P

Steps:

• First prepare the picadillo. In a large bowl using your hands mix beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, olives, raisins, capers, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, allspice and some pepper. Cover with plastic and leave at room temperature for 1/2 hour for the flavours to mix.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the meat mixture with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cook, while breaking up the meat frequently. If the meat starts to brown lower the heat, and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. The picadillo should be juicy, but not soupy.
• Boil the potatoes until very tender. Drain and let cool slightly. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel them and rice them into a large bowl. Cool completely.
• Add the egg,flour and parsley and mix well (hands preferred!). Season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture on a slightly floured board and knead until smooth dough. Divide into 12 even portions.
• Shape each portion into a ball, and flatten on the palm of your hand. Each ball should be about 4 inches.
• Put a tablespoon of picadillo in the center of the ball and pinch edges together to seal. Smooth the packet into a round ball, and seal any cracks. Roll the balls in breadcrumbs to coat.
• Fry the balls in the olive oil until deep brown, about 6-8 minutes. Drain on a cooling rack.
• Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 250°F oven for up to 20 minutes.