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Papas Rellenos - Mexican Stuffed Potatoes
Potatoes are not usually the first vegetable you would think of in connection to Mexican cuisine, but these tubers were known and enjoyed in Mexico centuries before they first arrived in Europe in the 16th century. The potato is in fact a native of the Americas and has been cultivated from what is now Chile to as far north as the modern Southwestern United States for thousands of years now. While not as prominent in Mexican cuisine as it is in American and European cooking, it appears in some great Mexican recipes, which deserve a place at your table.
This recipe is the Mexican take on the popular "twice baked potato." Potatoes are boiled until nearly done, then stuffed with their own fried centers along with jalapeno and poblano peppers, onion, Queso Fresco and Queso Panela (a salty, crumbly cheese that is similar to feta) and bacon.
In this vegetarian version, artificial bacon bits will take their place for a healthier vegetarian version, which sacrifices none of the flavor of this popular Mexican potato recipe. There are different recipes for papas rellenos but these stuffed potatoes with onion, cheese and chilies really hits the spot because of the amazing flavor. This makes a great side dish or lunch, accompanied by a salad.
Papas Rellenos
Ingredients -
4 medium sized potatoes
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
2 large or 3 medium poblano peppers, stemmed and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (can be omitted if you would like a mild dish)
½ cup each grated queso fresco and queso panela (farmer's cheese and feta may be substituted)
2 tbsp artificial bacon bits
1 tbsp olive oil
Preparation:
Begin by boiling the potatoes until they are tender but still firm in the center, about 15-20 minutes. Set potatoes aside in a bowl of cold water to cool while you chop your peppers and onions, grate, and crumble the cheese. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle safely, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Slice off ⅛ to ¼ inch off of one side of each potato, just enough to make a flat surface to work with. Using a grapefruit spoon, carefully scoop out each potato, leaving about ¼ inch of flesh attached to the skin to make a shell, which is easy to stuff. The insides of the potato should still be relatively firm. Chop the potato centers into small cubes.
Heat olive oil to medium-high in a skillet, add the cubed potato centers, and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the onion and peppers and reduce the heat slightly, stirring occasionally for another 3-4 minutes or until the potatoes are browned. Remove from heat, add the bacon bits and cover, allowing to sit for a minute (this will soften the bacon bits and allow their flavor to blend with the onions and peppers).
Transfer the potato mixture to a bowl and mix with the grated queso fresco. Stuff each potato shell with the mixture and place into a baking pan. Top the papas rellenos with crumbled queso panela and bake for 30 minutes or until browned and the cheese is bubbling. Allow the potatoes to cool for a minute or two before serving.
(Serves 4)
