Daring Cooks March 2011 - Papas Rellenas!

This month was my very first Daring Cooks challenge, and I think I started drooling as soon as I read what it was:

Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenges us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra.

I decided to make the Papas Rellenas. Do you know what they are? I'm happy I learned of their awesomeness, and I'm pretty sure you will be too. They are basically mashed potatoes stuffed with a delicious filling, breaded, and fried. Well, gee, if you're going to twist my arm about it I guess I'll make and eat them...

Traditionally these are stuffed with a beef filling which sounds delicious, but I decided to make a seafood filling that included lobster, shallots and red bell peppers. I also had some scallions leftover from making champ, so I threw those into the potatoes too. These are definitely forgiving, so get creative!

Papas Rellenas with Lobster filling

Recipe adapted from Kathlyn

 Makes 6-8

For the dough:
2 1/4 lbs russet potato
1 large egg
salt and pepper to taste

For the filling:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp dry white wine
3/4 lb cooked lobster, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

For the preparation:
Vegetable oil (about a liter)
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
1 cup panko breadcrumbs


For the dough: Boil the potatoes until they pierce easily with a fork. Drain and cool. Once cool, peel them and mash them or put through a potato ricer. Add the egg, salt and pepper to taste, and knead until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

For the filling:
1. In a medium skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, red pepper and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add the wine, stir, and then add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 2-3 minutes just to warm through and to allow the flavors to meld. Cool to room temperature.

Final Preparation:
1. Gather three small bowls: In one, combine the flour, salt, and cayenne. In the second, combine the beaten egg with a splash of water. In the third, add the breadcrumbs.
2. Flour your hands and scoop up a ball of the potato dough, about 1/6th-1/8th of it. Flatten the dough to a round pancake in your hand, making a slight indentation in the center for the filling.
3. Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the center, then roll the potato dough closed, forming a smooth casing. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
4. Heat 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil in a pan to 350-375F.
5. Roll each formed papa into three prepared bowls: first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs. Allow to rest on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes to allow the breading to set.
6. Fry the papas in batches of 2-3 at a time for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once halfway through to ensure even browning.
7. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. You can keep them in a 200F oven to keep them warm as you cook the remaining papas. Enjoy!