Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese)

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Numerous variations on this dish appear throughout the ABC islands, but this is the one most commonly served on Curaçao.

Ingredients

  • 1 small Edam cheese

  • 3 tomatoes, chopped and peeled

  • 2 onions, sliced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 bell pepper, chopped

  • 1/4 cup sliced olives

  • 1 tablespoon capers

  • 1 tablespoon parsley

  • ½ habanero chile, seeds and stem removed, minced (or more to taste)

  • ½ cup raisins

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  •  tablespoons ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons mustard

  • 2 pounds. shredded chicken or ground meat

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • 5 eggs

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Slice the top of the cheese and preserve. Gently scoop out the inside, leaving a 1/4 to ½ inch shell. The cheese should resemble a hollowed out pumpkin.

In a large skillet, saute the vegetables, seasonings and meat in the vegetable oil; simmer for about 20 minutes. Beat 4 eggs and stir into the mixture. Spoon into the cheese shell, replace the top and spread remaining beaten egg on top to seal. Grease a shallow baking dish and fill it with about 1 inch of water. Set the cheese in the dish and bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees F. The cheese will expand and flatten slightly but keep its basic shape. Serve hot, cut into wedges.

Muzik di Zumbi

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In Papiamentu, the Creole dialect, musik di zumbi is “spirit music,” a combination of African rhythms, reggae, and South American music. This cocktail will get you into the spirit, alright!

Ingredients

  • 1 small ripe mango, peeled, cubed, and blended with ½ cup water

  • 3/4 cup water

  • 3 tablespoons white rum

  • 3 tablespoons Blue Curaçao

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 4 ½ tablespoons superfine (caster) sugar

  • 3 tablespoons Grenadine

  • Crushed ice

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the mango flesh with the water and strain into a blender. Add the rum, Curaçao, lime juice, 1 ½ tablespoons of the sugar, and blend for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place the remaining sugar in a saucer and the Grenadine in another saucer. Dip the rim of a glass in the Grenadine and then in the sugar. Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour the blended mixture over it.

Curacao Special

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Warning, warning! This is a powerful drink, so under no circumstances should you drink it and then attempt to capture an iguana.

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce light rum

  • ½ ounce dark rum

  • ½ ounce 151 proof rum

  • ½ ounce sweet vermouth

  • ½ ounce Blue Curaçao

  • 1 ounce orange juice

  • ½ ounce lime juice

  • ½ teaspoon Grenadine

  • ½ cup crushed ice

  • Slice of orange

Instructions

In a mixing glass, combine the rums, vermouth, Curaçao, orange and lime juices, and Grenadine and mix well. Place the ice in a goblet and pour the mixture over it. Garnish with the orange slice and serve.

 

Sun Dried Tomato and Chipotle Pesto

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Ancho or pasilla chiles can be substituted for the fiery chipotles if you desire a milder sauce. I’ve even used this pesto on pizza in place of the more traditional tomato sauce for a hot, south of the border taste.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained reserving the oil

  • 3/4 cup fresh parsley

  • ½ cup pine nuts

  • 2 shallots, coarsely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  • 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh preferred

  • Olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Garnish: Sliced black olives

Sun Dried Tomatoes, Parsley, Pine Nuts, Shallots, Vinegar, Chipotle Peppers, Lemon Juice

Instructions

Put the parsley and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse to finely chop. Add the pine nuts, shallots, garlic, vinegar, chipoltes, and lemon juice and continue to pulse.

Measure the reserved oil and add olive oil to make 1/4 cup. With the machine running, slowly add just enough of the oil to make a smooth sauce. If the pesto is too dry, add a little more oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta until done. Reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking water and add to the pesto to thin the sauce and make it more creamy.

Put the pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat. Garnish with the olives and serve.

 

Salsa di Pomadoro Crudo (Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce)

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This is a very basic sauce that can be easily changed to create a variety of different pasta dishes. For example, substitute feta cheese for the mozzarella, oregano for the basil, add some kalamata olives and chopped capers and you have Greek pasta. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature making it great for summer entertaining.

Ingredients

  • 4 tomatoes, chopped

  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil

  • 2 to 3 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced

  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, asiago, or ricotta cheese, diced small

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Chopped walnuts for garnish

Instructions

Combine the tomatoes, basil, chiles, onion, and garlic in a large serving bowl. Stir in the cheese, olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce stand for 30 minutes to blend the flavors. Cook the pasta until the done and drain. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with the walnuts and serve.