Dominican Yuca Pastelón with Rum-Braised Pork, Roasted Kabocha Squash, and Golden Fried Cheese

Dominican Food

Intermediate

Dominican Yuca Pastelón with Rum-Braised Pork, Roasted Kabocha Squash, and Golden Fried Cheese

Name: Dominican Yuca Pastelón with Rum-Braised Pork, Roasted Kabocha Squash, and Golden Fried Cheese
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Dominicana
Ingredients: 2 lb peeled yuca, cut into chunks; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup whole milk; 4 cloves mashed garlic; 1.3 lb pork, cut into small cubes; 1/4 cup sour orange juice; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup red onion, diced; 1/2 cup sweet pepper, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp Dominican rum; 3/4 cup water; 12 oz squash, cut into cubes; 7 oz Dominican frying cheese, sliced; 2 large beaten eggs; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

An original pastelón inspired by Dominican flavors: layers of silky mashed yuca, rum-braised pork with oregano, roasted squash, and golden fried cheese, baked until juicy inside with a lightly browned top.

35 minPrep

65 minCook

100 minTotal

6Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g peeled yuca, cut into chunks (for hervir and majar)
10 g salt (divided, or to taste)
30 g butter (for the yuca)
120 ml whole milk (tibia, for suavizar the yuca)
12 g mashed garlic (divided)
600 g pork, cut into small cubes (preferiblemente paleta or lomo of cerdo)
60 ml sour orange juice (for marinar the cerdo)
2 g dried oregano (divided)
2 g black pepper (divided, or to taste)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
120 g red onion, diced
60 g sweet pepper, chopped
30 g tomato paste
45 ml Dominican rum
180 ml water (for guisar the cerdo)
350 g squash, cut into cubes (auyama or calabaza)
200 g Dominican frying cheese, sliced
100 g beaten eggs (for dar estructura al pastelón)
8 g fresh cilantro, chopped (for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

560 kcal

Calories

27 g

Protein

38 g

Carbs

31 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

34 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyEggsSulfites

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 200 °C. Place the squash on a baking tray and toss it with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the dried oregano. Roast for 25 minutes, until tender with golden edges. Set aside.
2
2. In a bowl, season the pork with the sour orange juice, half of the mashed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Let it rest for 15 minutes while you work on the yuca.
3
3. Place the yuca in a large pot with enough water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Boil over medium-high heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain, remove any tough fibers from the center, and mash the hot yuca with the butter, whole milk, and the remaining mashed garlic until thick and smooth. Adjust salt and keep warm.
4
4. In a wide skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the slices of frying cheese for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and set aside.
5
5. In the same skillet, add the marinated pork and brown it for 5 minutes. Add the red onion and sweet pepper; cook 3 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it lightly toasts.
6
6. Carefully pour in the Dominican rum and let it boil for 30 seconds. Add the water, reduce to medium heat, cover partially, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pork is tender and the sauce is thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro.
7
7. Lower the oven temperature to 375 °F / 190 °C. Lightly grease a baking dish. Mix the beaten eggs into the warm mashed yuca.
8
8. Assemble the pastelón in layers: spread half of the yuca on the bottom, cover with all the braised pork, distribute the roasted squash on top, and arrange the golden fried cheese slices. Finish with the remaining yuca, smoothing the top with a spoon.
9
9. Bake the pastelón at 375 °F / 190 °C for 22 to 25 minutes, until set and lightly golden on top. If you want more color, broil for 2 minutes, watching closely.
10
10. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.

Chef tips

If the yuca feels too dry while mashing, add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of warm milk. For cleaner slices, let the full pastelón rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Substitutions

You can replace the squash with roasted sweet potato for a sweeter note. If you cannot find Dominican frying cheese, use halloumi or another firm cheese that browns well without melting away.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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