Curaçaoan Keshi Yena

Ingredients

• 1 whole Edam or Gouda cheese round, about 2 lbs, wax removed
• 1 lb ground chicken or shredded cooked chicken
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, halved
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste

Before you cook

• Cut a wide circle out of the top of the cheese round to make a lid.
• Scoop out the inside of the cheese with a spoon, leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick on the sides and bottom; reserve the scooped cheese.
• Soak the hollowed cheese shell and lid in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to draw out some of the salt.
• Grate or chop half of the scooped-out cheese finely and set aside for the filling.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up, until browned.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and cumin.
6. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, until thickened.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the raisins, olives, and reserved grated cheese.
8. Season the filling with salt and pepper, then let it cool slightly and stir in the beaten eggs.
9. Drain the cheese shell and lid and pat dry.
10. Pack the filling into the hollowed cheese shell, mounding it slightly.
11. Place the cheese lid back on top.
12. Set the filled cheese in a baking dish and cover the dish tightly with foil.
13. Set the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan and pour hot water into the outer pan to come halfway up the sides.
14. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, until the filling is set and the cheese has softened.
15. Let the keshi yena rest for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.