Curaçaoan • main

Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese)

Name: Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Curaçaoan
Ingredients: 1 whole (about 500g) Edam cheese (small round, rind removed); 500g Chicken breast or beef, cooked and shredded; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 1 Green bell pepper, diced; 2 stalks Celery, finely chopped; 100g Raisins; 100g Green olives, pitted and sliced; 2 tbsp Capers; 6 Prunes, pitted and chopped; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 small Madame Jeanette pepper (or scotch bonnet), minced; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Paprika; 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, grated; 3 Eggs, hard-boiled and sliced; 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp Butter; to taste Salt and pepper

Curaçao's signature dish — an Edam cheese shell stuffed with spiced meat, raisins, olives, and other savory-sweet ingredients, then baked until soft and richly flavored.

1 hr 15 min4 servingsMedium980 kcal

Back to Recipes

Instructions

1
Remove the wax rind from the Edam cheese and cut it into thick slices. Line a greased ovenproof dish with half the slices, overlapping them to form a cheese shell. Grate any remaining cheese and set aside.
2
In a large pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
3
Add the shredded meat, raisins, olives, capers, prunes, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, nutmeg, and minced pepper. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.
4
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
5
Mix in the hard-boiled egg slices and half of the grated cheese.
6
Fill the cheese-lined dish with the meat mixture, mounding it slightly on top.
7
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
8
Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot throughout.
9
Remove from oven, unwrap carefully, and serve immediately with funchi (cornmeal polenta) or rice.

Chef's Notes

Keshi yena ("stuffed cheese" in Papiamentu) originated on Curaçao during the 17th and 18th centuries, when enslaved people filled the empty rinds of imported Dutch Edam cheeses—leftovers from their enslavers' households—with scraps of meat, olives, and raisins. Over time, this resourceful dish became one of Curaçao's most iconic foods. As it bakes, the cheese shell becomes soft, gooey, and richly flavorful—best enjoyed by scooping out the filling with crusty bread.