Keshy Yena

Serves 6 to 8

Submitted by Susan Godfrey

MKL Cooking Contest, April 14, 2007

Casseroles, fondue pots, paella pans, chafing dishes, tureens ... they come from around the world to grace our table with delicious and beautiful one dish meals.

Many of the casserole-type dishes originated as ethnic specialties. From humble beginnings as family fare, these dishes have risen to the highest order reserved for putting your best dish forward.

The word casserole derives from a large pot called a casse that French cooks were using hundreds of years ago to cook their delicious meat and vegetable stews. When they began using smaller individual containers they called them casse-roles or "little casses." The little casse now comes in all sizes, shapes and materials and is one of the most important items in any cook's batterie de cuisin. ''One dish meal” does nor adequately convey the splendor of these solo specialties, for any dish that is good enough, rich enough, hearty enough to satisfy all the requirements of dining well surely deserves a more lofty title.

Keshy Yena has the advantage of sounding as intriguing as it looks. The name is Papiamento, a combination of Spanish, Dutch and English with a spattering of Portuguese, French and African, that is spoken on the Dutch island of Curacao. The words derive from the Spanish queso (cheese) and llena (filled). ln the Caribbean, Keshy Yena is actually served in a hollowed out Edam cheese. The top of the cheese is used as a cover and when the “lid” is lifted a tantalizing aroma fills the air.

Using an attractive casserole to contain the dish makes it much simpler, if less authentic. If you wish to serve it in the cheese, peel the wax off and hollow the cheese to about half-inch thickness. Small, individual cheeses are more readily available. Wrap in foil to prevent melting. Or, make the dish as described here in your favorite casserole. Serve with salad, bread and red wine.

Keshy Yena can be prepared the day before and actually improves its flavor by waiting a day or two.

1 3-pound Edam cheese

2 pounds round steak, cut into thin strips.

¼ cup and 2 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ black pepper

¾ cup butter

½ cup red wine

2 green peppers, coarsely chopped

½ cup onion, finely chopped

½ pound mushrooms, sliced

2 medium tomatoes, coarsley chopped

¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped pickle

2 tablespoons seedless raisins

6 smaIl stuffed olives, drained and finely chopped

1 can mushroom soup

½ cup water

Dredge beef strips in ¼ cup flour, plus ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Melt ½ cup butter in heavy saucepan. Add beef strips, stir and cook until browned. Add 2 tablespoons flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add ½ cup wine. Cook 1-2 minutes, then remove meat mixture from heat and set aside. Melt remaining ¼ cup butter in heavy fry pan. Add green peppers, onion, mushroom. Saute until soft, but not brown. Add tomatoes, ground hot red pepper, salt. Cook briskly, stirring until most of liquid in pan has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in pickle, raisins, and olives. Combine vegetable mixture with beef wine mixture and blend well. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Add 1 can mushroom soup diluted with ½ cup water.

Line a 3-quart casserole with ¼ inch thick slices of the Edam Cheese from which the rind has been removed. Fill casserole with meat vegetable mixture. Grate any remaining cheese and sprinkle over top. Bake in 350°oven 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.