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Keshi Yena

Keshi Yena (Filled Cheese Shell) serves 10-12. To create the chicken filling, rub with the juice of several limes:

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 lb. chicken thighs

Season the breasts and thighs with:

Salt

Pepper

Poultry seasoning

Minced onion

Let stand for several hours. Arrange pieces in shallow baking dish, brown chicken under the broiler, bake for 1 hour at 350, and debone when cool enough to handle.

OR:

Brown chicken 3 tbs. butter, then place in a heavy kettle with:

4 quarts water

2 tsp. salt

12 peppercorns

1-2 onions

1 celery stalk with leaves

1 bay leaf, bruised

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Strain and reserve the broth, discarding vegetables. Debone chicken and set aside.

After chicken has been prepared by 1 of the above methods, sauté in two tablespoons butter:

3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

4 onions, sliced

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 tbs. parsley, minced, or a few drops Tabasco sauce

Salt

Pepper

Add and stir in well:

2 tbs. ketchup

1/4 cup pimento olives, sliced

1 tbs. capers

1/4 cup raisins

2 tbs. piccalilli

Chicken, or 1 lb. ground beef, lightly browned, if beef is to be substituted for chicken.

Simmer until tomatoes are reduced, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from fire and permit mixture to cool. If baked, preheat oven to 350, if steamed, begin heating water in the bottom of a double boiler.

Beat and add to the meat mixture: 3 eggs, reserving about 6 tbs.

Generously butter a casserole dish or the top of a double boiler. Before placing the cheese shell in it, spoon 3 tbs. of the reserved beaten egg into the bottom of the container. Half fill with the meat mixture and add:

1-2 hard-cooked eggs

Fill shell to top with remaining meat and cover with:

The original cap of the Edam, from which the wax has been removed, or a few slices of cheese.

A word of caution! Never use soft young cheese for keshi yena.

Drip remaining 3 tbs. of beaten egg over top of cheese as a sealer. Place lid on double boiler. Set casserole in pan of hot water or double boiler top over simmering water. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Place keshi yena on heated platter and keep warm (cheese becomes hard and unappetizing if permitted to cool). In place of cheese shell, 2 lbs. of Edam or Gouda slices may be used to line the cooking container. Slices should overlap and create the same effect as the shell. Add filling cover with additional slices and follow directions for baking or steaming the shell. The traditionalist with a great deal of time and patience may scoop out a 4 lb. Edam or Gouda, taking care not to pierce the shell.