Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran yuca and chipilín fritters with soft hard-cheese center, red bean cream, and pineapple slaw
An original recipe inspired by traditional flavors of El Salvador: golden yuca and chipilín fritters with a soft hard-cheese center, served over a smooth red bean cream and paired with a fresh pineapple, cabbage, and red onion slaw.
Ingredients
- 500 g peeled yuca, finely grated (escurrida si suelta mucho líquido)
- 40 g chopped chipilín leaves (solo leaves tiernas)
- 120 g Salvadoran soft hard cheese, cubed (for the centro of the torrejitas)
- 1 unit egg (beaten)
- 35 g rice flour (for dar estructura)
- 5 g salt (divided)
- 1 g ground black pepper
- 60 ml vegetable oil (for frying en pan)
- 300 g cooked red beans (with a poco of su caldo)
- 80 ml table cream (for the cream of frijol)
- 60 g chopped white onion (divided)
- 6 g minced garlic (divided)
- 120 ml water (for ajustar the cream of frijol)
- 120 g fresh pineapple, finely julienned
- 100 g finely shredded green cabbage
- 60 g thinly sliced red onion
- 30 ml white vinegar
- 8 g sugar
- 1 g dried oregano
Nutrition facts
per serving
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
Instructions
- 1
1. In a bowl, combine the julienned pineapple, shredded cabbage, red onion, white vinegar, sugar, 2 g (1/2 tsp) salt, and dried oregano. Mix well and let it rest for 15 minutes to make the pineapple slaw.
- 2
2. For the bean cream, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil, half of the white onion, and half of the garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion softens.
- 3
3. Add the cooked red beans, water, cream, 2 g (1/2 tsp) salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then blend or mash until thick and smooth. Keep warm over low heat.
- 4
4. In a large bowl, mix the grated yuca, chopped chipilín, beaten egg, rice flour, the remaining white onion, the remaining garlic, and 1 g (1/4 tsp) salt. Mix until you have a moist, compact dough.
- 5
5. Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Place a cube of soft hard cheese in the center of each portion and seal well, shaping them into round, slightly flattened fritters.
- 6
6. Heat a wide skillet over medium heat with the remaining vegetable oil. Once hot, fry the fritters in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. If desired, keep them warm on a tray in a preheated oven at 95 °C / 200 °F while you finish the rest.
- 7
7. To serve, spread a layer of red bean cream on each plate, place 2 fritters per serving on top, and finish with a portion of the pineapple slaw.
- 8
8. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of the crisp fritter, melted cheese center, warm bean cream, and fresh slaw.
Chef tips
If the grated yuca releases a lot of moisture, squeeze it lightly before mixing so the fritters hold together while frying. Finely chopping the chipilín helps distribute its flavor evenly through the mixture.
Substitutions
You can substitute the Salvadoran soft hard cheese with firm fresh cheese or low-moisture mozzarella. If chipilín is unavailable, use a mix of tender spinach and a little cilantro, though the flavor will be different.
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 imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori 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
Illustrative imageTempPro 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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