Bolitas de Yuca con Queso y Carne (Yuca Balls with Cheese and Meat) Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. frozen or fresh yucca, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 6 oz. Queso Fresco cheese, cubed
• 4 oz. lean ground beef
• ½ small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• freshly ground coarse sea salt and black peppercorns, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ small onion, minced
• vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, in salted water, cook the yuca for about 20 minutes, or until fork tender.
2. While the yuca is cooking, sauté your ground beef with the garlic, onion, and bell pepper in a small amount of oil, with salt and pepper to taste, until beef is cooked through and browned. Place in a mixing bowl, blend together well, and set aside to cool.
3. Drain the yuca, cut away any fibers from the center, then place in a large bowl and mash them until smooth. (You could also use a food processor for this)
4. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl, and the beaten eggs in another bowl.
5. Form the yuca mash into 12 balls of equal size. Pat and press them flat with your hands until you have small, thick, round little “pancakes”.
6. Place 1 piece of cheese in the center of 6 of the “pancakes” and roll the edges up to form a ball again, with a core of cheese. Do the same with the other 6, but place a little ball of the meat mixture in the center, instead of cheese. Be sure the balls are well sealed back together, and the contents firmly contained.
7. Dip the balls into the beaten egg, making sure all sides are covered well, and then dredge them through the breadcrumbs, again making sure they are coated well.
8. Fill a large, deep walled skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat to 350F. Place the balls into heated oil (there should be enough oil that the balls are “swimming” – not sitting on the pan’s bottom) and fry for 4 minutes or until well browned on all sides. Turn them now and then, as needed.
9. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack over paper towels to drain.
10. Serve while still nice and hot. A good side dish for Bolitas de Yuca con Queso y Carne is guacamole.

Variation: You can also make your Bolitas de Yuca with meat and cheese combined fillings. The above ingredients would stay the same, just combine the cubed cheese with the meat after sautéing, and put the combined mixture inside all 12 yuca balls before deep frying.

---