papa rellenas with avocado sauce

tomatolimejalapeno

Papas Rellenas with Avocado Sauce

Papas Rellenas with Avocado Sauce

Papas Rellenas con Salsa de Aguacate, Recipe courtesy Sabrina Soto

Recipe Yield

6 to 8 servings

Cooking time

3 hours 44 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.72 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups diced white onion
  • 1 small jar of pimento chiles
  • 2 cups seeded and finely chopped green pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for sauteing
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 3 large Roma tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup chopped green olives
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 4 large potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon warm milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • vegetable oil for frying

For the avocado sauce:

  • 2 ripe Mexican avocados
  • Freshly squeezed juice from 4 limes just over 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 1 medium bunch of cilantro leaves and upper stems, roughly chopped
  • 2 jalapeño chiles seeded
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • kosher or coarse sea salt to taste

To Prepare

To make the Cuban picadillo:

  • Heat olive oil in in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pimento chiles and green pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and ground beef to the pan, stirring to break up the meat and combine it with the onion and peppers, and cook until the meat has browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin and oregano to the pan, stir to combine and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes to thicken. Stir in the olives and simmer 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the papas rellenas:

  • Place the quartered potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft, then drain. Mash the potatoes with the salt and warm milk, and let cool enough to handle.
  • Grab a handful of the mashed potato mixture and form into a little “bowl” in your hand. Fill the “bowl” with some of the Cuban picadillo and cover with more of the mashed potato mixture - forming a ball about the size of a small baseball. Repeat until all the mashed potato mixture is used up.
  • Combine the bread crumbs and flour on a plate. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Dip a ball into the beaten egg and roll to coat, then roll in the flour and bread crumb mixture until lightly covered. Dip the same ball, again, into the egg and roll a second time in the flour and bread crumb mixture to coat thoroughly. Repeat with each ball.
  • Refrigerate the balls for about 3 hours.
  • Add enough vegetable oil to a heavy skillet to come about halfway up the potato balls and heat over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully place as many balls into the oil as possible without crowding the pan, working in batches if need be. Fry the balls for about 2 minutes or until the submerged half is golden brown, turn the balls and cook another 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove the balls from the pan and set them on a paper-towel-covered plate or wire rack. Serve hot with avocado sauce on the side.

To make the avocado sauce:

  • Place the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño chiles, garlic cloves, olive oil and cumin and puree until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

Comments

16comments inPapas Rellenas with Avocado Sauce

  1. Anonymous

    Jan 07

    So good! Better than Porto’s potato balls!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jan 07

      Love that you enjoyed them, gracias!

  2. Elaine P. Munguia

    Nov 15

    Sounds delicious

    1. Pati Jinich

      Dec 11

      🙂

  3. Val

    Mar 13

    Hi Pati! I was wondering, what would be the best way to reheat leftovers. Thanks so much!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Mar 15

      A minute in the microwave will do or in a conventional oven for as long as you need. Just make sure to not add the avocado sauce to those you are going to save for later 🙂

  4. Jim Wyche

    Mar 05

    Yummm! Going to make this soon but will have to cut the recipe down since I live alone.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Mar 06

      Enjoy them Jim 😉

  5. Anonymous

    May 01

    Omg

    1. Pati Jinich

      May 07

      🙂

  6. Diane

    Jan 21

    I watched your show tonight..
    I am so excited to try your recipes!!!

    1. Pati

      Jan 22

      Yay!

  7. Elvia Madrigal

    Oct 20

    Hi Pati, just received your recipe for Tacos de Lengua and I wanted to say thanks! As I have told you before my husband is from Uruapan Mexico and I am constantly looking for great Mexican recipes to make for my family. Love your show and my family also enjoys watching your show. God Bless You!Elvia

  8. Juvela archuleta

    Jan 25

    Delicious food.

  9. Juvela archuleta

    Jan 25

    I have to learn to cook delicious Mexican food. I was brought up on American food, and Spanish food.

    1. Pati

      Jan 26

      Great to hear Juvela!

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