I always tell my wife jokingly that Cubans can't eat anything without cooking it three to four times first, and cooking for us is a whole-day affair. Some of our dishes cook in 15 minutes or so, but those are rare. So if you are thinking, "Here we go, we are going to make a 15-minute meal"… no such luck. This one is one of those that we cook like four times. But who is counting?
Meet Papas Rellenas (Cuban Stuffed Potatoes). The traditional way to stuff them is with ground beef, so it can be a very affordable meal. First, we have to make picadillo, then we have to make mashed potatoes, and afterwards we finish by making the final product. So yes, we are cooking. But man, the flavor is well worth all the time you will spend in the kitchen making these stuffed potato balls.
¿No me crees?
This is what happened last time I brought these to work. I once made them for my co-workers and put them on a table at the back of the training class. They proved to be a great disruptor; everyone started ignoring the instructor and swarmed the table. One co-worker took a bite, looked at me, and asked, “What is this?” I told him, “Those are Cuban stuffed potatoes with ground beef.” I guess eventually my instructor decided, “If I can’t beat them, join them,” and after he tried one he described it as, “This is like having a piece of cloud in your mouth, and is full of flavor.”
And listen, one of these papas can be lunch all by itself. You have the potato, the picadillo, the crispy outside, and enough flavor going on that nobody is going to ask, “Where is the rest of the food?”
Crispy fried stuffed potatoes filled with savory Cuban picadillo. The secret is in the mash; I seasoned it all the way through and finished with Parmesan so every bite tastes like a Cuban was having a party.
Place in a pot with enough water to cover and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain the water and transfer to a bowl. Mash hard until smooth with no lumps.
Add the butter and the milk, then mash until creamy and smooth, and then add about 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan. Mix well. The mash should be well seasoned, but not stiff like a rock.
Set aside and let cool. It will firm up further as it cools.
Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the ground beef and let it cook some before breaking it apart. Keep breaking the meat with a spatula until it is no longer pink.
Add the bell pepper and onion. Cook until translucent.
Add the dried oregano, ground cumin, ground bay leaves, and garlic at the same time. Let the spices wake up. This only takes a few seconds. When you can smell everything coming together, it is ready.
Add the vino seco to deglaze the pan. Use enough to see liquid and lift everything off the bottom.
Add the tomato sauce. Once deglazed, add the sugar and taste to adjust for balance. You want a hint of sweetness against the salt, not a full sweet flavor. Reduce if a full teaspoon feels like too much.
Let the liquids absorb into the meat, simmering until the picadillo is moist and saucy but not watery.
Remove from heat and stir in the capers. Let the residual heat work them in.
Take a portion of mashed potatoes and shape it into a ball roughly the size you want your final papa rellena.
Press your thumb into the center to make a hole big enough for a generous spoonful of picadillo.
Fill the hole with picadillo, then close the mash back over it and shape it back into a smooth, round ball.
If the mash is too soft to hold its shape, place the balls on a tray and refrigerate for a few minutes to firm up.
Coat each ball in flour first, then egg, then fine breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate the breaded balls before frying. This will help them hold together and make them much easier to handle.
Fry in batches of one or two at a time. Use enough oil to cover at least half the ball so you only need to turn them once. Fry until golden brown, turning carefully only once.
Place them on a paper towel, but these are not greasy at all.
Servings 4
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Welcome to Cuban Thai Kitchen. I'm Dimitri, and if you want to know how a Cuban ended up loving Thai food this much, my story is below.