Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese)
The national dish of Curaçao — a whole Edam cheese shell stuffed with spiced meat, raisins, and olives, then baked until melty and golden.
Instructions
- 1
Hollow out the Edam cheese by cutting a lid off the top and scooping out the inside, leaving a 1cm shell. Grate the scooped-out 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 hollowed cheese shell with the meat mixture, mounding it slightly on top.
- 7
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
- 8
Place the cheese lid back on top and wrap the entire cheese in aluminum foil.
- 9
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot throughout.
- 10
Remove from oven, unwrap carefully, and serve immediately with funchi (cornmeal polenta) or rice.
Chef's Notes
Traditionally, keshi yena was made by sailors who filled cheese rinds with leftover meat and baked them in the ship's oven. The cheese shell becomes soft and gooey — scoop out the filling with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- Edam cheese (round, rind removed)1 whole (about 1 kg)
- Chicken breast or beef, cooked and shredded500g
- Onion, finely chopped1 large
- Garlic, minced3 cloves
- Green bell pepper, diced1
- Celery, finely chopped2 stalks
- Raisins100g
- Green olives, pitted and sliced100g
- Capers2 tbsp
- Prunes, pitted and chopped6
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Madame Jeanette pepper (or scotch bonnet), minced1 small
- Cumin1 tsp
- Paprika1 tsp
- Nutmeg, grated1/4 tsp
- Eggs, hard-boiled and sliced3
- Breadcrumbs1/2 cup
- Butter2 tbsp
- Salt and pepperto taste
