Carimanola's Recipe for MamaSita

 

This recipe is for Dave (aka: MamaSita). Carimanola's are fried Yucca wrapped around a savory filling. A favorite carnival food in Panama. You might also be lucky enough to find them as appetizers or breakfast food at local restaurants.

Yucca is a starchy root crop, not unlike potatoes.

• 3 lbs Yucca
• salt to taste

Filling:

• 1 lb ground meat (Iguana, Gatosolo, Vaca, Puerco....since were in Canada well go with Chicken or Pork.)
• 1 teaspoon chopped Parsley
• 1 large Onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon Tomato Paste
• 1 clove Garlic pressed
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vinegar
• 3 or 4 Capers

Boil Yucca with salt but do not allow to get too soft.  

Grind with fine blade in grinder and knead with salt.  

Form balls, flatten in the palm of the hand and fill with stuffing forming into an oval shape. 

Pinch to close ends. 

Fry in very hot oil until golden.

 

To Make Filling:
Season ground meat with salt, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, capers, onion, sugar, garlic and parsley. 

Brown in very small amount of hot oil and add tomato paste.  

Simmer until quite dry.

 

If you want to freeze the Carimonolas, dust with a little flour after they are formed and place on a cookie sheet in the freezer until firm and then place in sealed ziplock bags.  

To fry, take from freezer to hot oil at one time as they may fall apart. 

Do one or two at a time only.