Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese) is a traditional Curaçaoan recipe for a classic dish of chicken blended with vegetables, stock, herbs, celery, olives, raisins, piccalilli and eggs baked in a cheese shell. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Curaçaoan version of: Stuffed Cheese (Keshi Yena).
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Keshi Yena is the national dish of Curaçao (just as it is of neighbouring Aruba). It originated as a way for the slaves to make use of discarded Edam cheese rinds by using a filling and then baking. Of course, the dish has evolved and adapted since then. Here is a more modern version of the original.
Ingredients:
175g Edam cheese, sliced
500g cooked chicken, shredded
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter or margarine (plus extra for greaseing)
250ml Chicken stock
1 tbsp Tomato purée
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce,
4 tbsp chives, finely sliced
60g celery finely diced
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
40g pitted olives, chopped
2 tbsp capers, chopped
2 tbsp Piccalilli (see the piccalilli recipe for a home-made version)
50g raisins
3 eggs
Method:
In large bowl, mix all ingredients (except the cheese and egg) with the shredded chicken.
Beat the eggs in a bowl until frothy then add to the chicken mixture.
Grease 6 oven-proof bowls or dishes (large ramekins work well) with butter then line with the cheese slices, overlapping from bottom up to edge of bowl. Fill with the chicken mixture, then cover the top with a cheese slice. You will need to use 6 slices of cheese per bowl (remember to place a slice on the base, cutting to the shape of your dish).
Trim any overhanging cheese from the top of the bowl and simply sit the trimmings over the top. Place the dishes on a baking tray then transfer to the centre of an oven pre-heated to 170C. Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the filling is hot.
To serve, place a plate on top of dish and carefully, turn upside down to release the neatly formed "Keshi Yena". Garnish with finely-shredded lettuce.
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