Keshy Yena Recipe (Baked Edam Cheese with Caribbean Lamb from Dutch Curacao)
Here’s a recipe for Keshi Yena, a delicious dish from the Caribbean island of Curaçao that features baked Edam cheese filled with flavorful Caribbean-spiced lamb.
Ingredients:
For the lamb filling:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pitted olives, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the cheese shell:
- 1 large Edam cheese (about 3-4 pounds)
- Butter, melted, for brushing
For garnish:
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the ground lamb and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and tomato to the skillet with the lamb. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the raisins, olives, tomato paste, curry powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes for the flavors to meld together.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Edam cheese by cutting off the top rind to create a hollow cavity inside the cheese, leaving about 1/4 inch of cheese on the sides and bottom.
- Once the lamb filling has cooled slightly, spoon it into the hollow cavity of the Edam cheese, packing it down firmly.
- Brush the outside of the cheese with melted butter, covering all sides.
- Place the cheese on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the cheese from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley before serving.
Keshi Yena is typically served with rice or bread and makes for a delicious and flavorful dish. Enjoy the taste of Caribbean flavors with this Dutch Curacao recipe!