Picadillo Stuffed Potatoes Food

RELLENOS DE PAPA (PICADILLO STUFFED POTATO FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with at least 4 inches of cold water. Bring the water up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until a knife can pass through the center of the largest potato without resistance.
• Once soft, drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to cool completely.The rest of the ingredients will be added once the potatoes are cool.
• Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the meat to the pan and cook the meat just until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the green pepper, onion, and garlic to the pan. Sauté the meat until it is brown and the veggies are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3 or 4 more minutes. Once browned, drain any excess fat from the meat and return it to the stove.
• Stir the sofrito, adobo, sazón, garlic and onion powders, oregano, and pepper into the meat. Heat these until fragrant or 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, sliced green olives, and capers to the pan.
• Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, or until the picadillo begins to dry out slightly. The picadillo is done when it is thick, but not dry- like wet taco filling.
• Transfer the picadillo to a sheetpan and smooth it into an even layer. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator.
• Once the potatoes are completely cooled, grate them into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the beaten egg, then use a potato masher (or fork) to mash them into a paste.
• Add the cornstarch and bijol to mixture and use your hands or a spoon to combine the mixture completely. The mixture should be pliable without being runny or too stiff. Press the potato mix against the sides of the bowl to help it cool down faster. Place a piece of plastic film against the potatoes to keep them from drying out, then put the bowl in the fridge to chill them completely- at least 1 hour.
• Set up the bowls of potato and picadillo near one another. Sift together the 1/4 cup of cornstarch and bjiol onto a small sheetpan.
• Divide the potato mixture in the bowl into 12 equal portions using a rubber spatula, about 1/2 cup each. Lay the plastic wrap you covered the potatoes in the bowl with over your hand and place a portion of the potato mixture into the center of your palm.
• Use the opposite hand to press the potatoes into a 1/4" thick disc. Place a mound (about 3 tablespoons worth) of chilled picadillo into the middle of the potato disc. Close the fingers of the plastic-covered hand to bring the potato mix up, and around, the picadillo, then gently pinch the potato mixture together to close the seam. Try make sure you're encasing the picadillo in the potatoes, with the least amount of filling poking out. Don't get frustrated.Add a little potato to any cracks in the surface if need be. Use the plastic wrap to smooth any cracks or crevices.
• Carefully lay your formed rellenos on a sheet pan while you mold the rest. Begin heating your frying oil over moderate heat to 360°F.
• *If you plan to air fry or bake the rellenos, skip the dusting of cornstarch. Once all of the rellenos are formed, dust your hands liberally with some of the cornstarch from the dusted sheet pan. Grab a papa and toss it gently back and forth to give them a light dusting of cornstarch. Too heavy a dusting will leave untasty clumps of cornstarch on the rellenos after frying.
• See notes in post on how to deep-fry safely. Once the oil reaches temperature, use a slotted spoon, preferably wooden, to gently slide a 2-3 rellenos into the hot oil. It's okay if the relleno sticks slightly to the sheet pan when you attempt to lift it. Just scrape up what was left behind and mold it back onto the relleno.
• Fry your rellenos for 6 minutes. After 1 minute of frying, use a flat spider to nudge the papas from the bottom of the pot. This helps them brown evenly without one side burning. Swish them around in the oil, carefully, as they cook to keep them from frying too close to one another.
• If the rellenos fall apart as soon as they hit the oil it is because they either aren't cold enough, or because you added too many eggs to the potato mixture (which shouldn't be the case). If it's the former, pop the sheet tray of rellenos into the fridge for an hour and try again. If it's the latter,try the fridge trick and if that doesn't work, brush them with oil and bake them, instead.
• Once the rellenos are done frying, use the spider to lift them from the oil and transfer them to a rack placed over a sheet pan and allow them to drain thoroughly. Continue frying the rellenos, making sure to allow the oil to come back up to temp before adding the next batch.
• Arrange the rellenos on a platter or wrap each relleno in deli paper. Serve with a bowl of mayo-ketchup (recipe below). Enjoy while hot.

PLANTAINS STUFFED WITH PICADILLO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
• Cut off both ends of each plantain, then remove and discard the peels. Place the plantains on the baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake the plantains for 15 minutes, then turn them over and bake until the plantains are lightly golden brown and tender, an additional 15 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, clip a deep-frying thermometer onto a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Heat 1 1/2 inches (about 2 1/2 cups) vegetable oil to 375 degrees F.
• Fry the plantains in batches until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to cool.
• Heat the remaining 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, then stir and cook another 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, olives, poblano chile and some salt and cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is entirely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with the reserved juices, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and some salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Fold in half the Cotija, then stir to melt and set aside.
• Cut a slit in each of the plantains running the long way. Divide the picadillo chili among the plantains. Sprinkle the tops with remaining Cotija. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN PICADILLO

Steps:

• Bring 6 whole tomatoes to a boil in a small pot. Transfer to a blender. Add 3/4 cup water, onion halves, and whole garlic clove. Blend until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and serrano pepper. Cook until onion is transparent. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute more. Add ground beef; cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
• Pour canned tomato sauce into the beef mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Mix in potatoes and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes; add the blended tomatoes, jalapeno, chicken bouillon, cumin, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well, reduce heat, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

(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.