PASTELES DE YUCA RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the achiote oil: In a saucepan, gently simmer the achiote seeds in the oil until the oil turns dark red. Remove from heat. Let cool. Strain the seeds from the oil and discard the seeds. Keep the cooled oil in a covered jar or other container. You can leave it out, or refrigerate it. You will use this oil in the "Masa", in the filling, and for wrapping the pasteles. (on Day 2).
• Prepare the Masa: Cut the yuca into pieces that you can comfortably handle- about the size of a stick of butter. Carefully cut each piece lengthwise to reveal a woody stalk in the center of the yuca. It's roughly the width of a toothpick, and runs the entire length. Cut it out by making a 'V' cut, and discard- we want our masa to be smooth!
• Feed the pieces a little at a time into a food processor with grating blade- any stubborn pieces that hang around will be dealt with in the next step.
• Remove the grated yuca from the processor, switch the grating blade to the regular cutting blade, add the yuca back to the machine and pulse for about 2 - 3 minutes to create a moist, finely grated mixture that is the consistency of grated parmesan cheese- just a little wetter.
• Place the masa into a strainer that is lined with a cheesecloth. (If you have a very fine strainer, you don't need the cheesecloth). Place the strainer with the masa over a bowl (to let the yuca masa to drip into), then cover with some plastic wrap, and place into the refrigerator until the next day when you are ready to finish the pasteles.
• Remove the masa from the refigerator. It will have dripped several ounces of its liquid in the bowl- discard the liquid.
• Prepare the filling: Wash the pork meat with vinegar. Cut the meat into ½ inch cubes (about the size of a small broth cube).
• In a saucepan, use 2 ounces of the achiote oil that you prepared, and simmer the 2 ounces of sofrito in it on low heat for 3 -5 minutes.
• Add the rest of the filling ingredients (except the last 3 ingredients: the olive oil, the olives and the red peppers) to the saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the flame.
• Simmer for approximately 1 - 1½ hours on low heat, covered. Take care that the water does not completely evaporate- if the sauce gets too thick, add a couple ounces of water.
• The meat should be cooked, but it should not fall apart when done, so check every 15 minutes once an hour has passed.
• When the meat is done, remove from heat and let cool. You should have some gravy left with the meat, but it shouldn't be too watery. If it looks dry, add 2 ounces of water. In either case, now add the olive oil that was part of the last 3 ingredients.
• While the meat is simmering, you can start seasoning the masa, but be sure and go back to the previous step to finish up the meat!
• Season the masa: In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, use 2 ounces of the achiote oil that you prepared, and simmer the 1 cup of sofrito in it for approximately 5 minutes. It should be sizzling slowly, not just steaming a little.
• Add the 2 ounces of water and the rest of the ingredients listed (except the masa!). Simmer another 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
• In a large saucepan, bowl, or tray, add the masa that you had removed from the regrigerator. Now add the sofrito that you just removed from the heat, and mix well.
• Add a half cup of the achiote oil to this, and mix again. Your masa should now have some color, and should have a good taste! If not, review the steps carefully- you might have missed something.
• If you haven't finished the last part of the meat, do so now. Otherwise, you're ready to wrap the pasteles!
• Wrap the pasteles: Use twenty bundles of plantain leaves.
• Note: If you can get the plantain leaf, do use it! It adds a world of a difference in taste to your pasteles!
• With a knife, remove the central ridge of the plantain leaves to give greater flexibility to the leaves. Divide leaves into pieces, about 12 inches square. Wash and clean leaves with a damp cloth and toast slightly over an open flame (such as the stove burner on low). This makes the leaf more pliable.
• You should still have about ½ cup of achiote oil left. Place 1 tsp of the achiote on the leaf, or the parchment paper. Spread it out to the size of a postcard (4" x 5"). Next, place 3 Tbsp of the masa on the leaf (or paper) and spread it out thinly over the oil that you just spread out.
• Place 1 ½ - 2 Tbsp of the meat filling in the center of the masa.
• Place 2 olive halves on top of the masa.
• Place strip of red pepper on top of the masa.
• Fold the leaf (or paper, or leaf on top of paper) one long half over towards the other. It won't actually get to the other end, but you have created a top and bottom layer of plantain leaf and enclosed the contents in it.
• Now fold both of those back towards the end that you first started from (making the crease at the far edge of the masa inside), while keeping in mind that you are sort of duplicating the shape of the rectangle of oil that you first made!
• Fold it once more, if you need to use up some paper. Then fold the right and left ends of the leaf toward the center.
• Tie the pasteles together in pairs (or alone), with a string, placing the folded edges facing each other. They should be tied from both sides, to prevent them from opening.
• This recipe yields approximately 12 -14 pasteles.
• Cook the pasteles: In Large pot, bring to a boil 5 qts of water with 1Tbsp salt. Add 12 pasteles and boil, covered, for one hour. Halfway, turn over pasteles. After the hour, remove pasteles from the water at once, and place in a strainer.

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil, then add the annatto seeds to the oil. Allow the seeds to simmer until the oil reaches a bright red color.
• Strain the seeds from the oil and discard the seeds. Allow the oil to cool and store in a sealed container until ready to use.
• Combine all filling ingredients in a pressure cooker. Set to Cook for 30 minutes. Let it come back to pressure naturally without releasing it.
• Uncover and set to Brown/Simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool and store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Cut the yuca into 3 to 4 pieces. The yucca should be milky white.
• Score the skin, slip the knife under the skin and pry it away from the yuca.
• Cut the segments in half and expose a small root that runs down the middle of the yucca. Make a V-shaped cut around the root to remove it.
• Using the shredder blade on a food processor or a manual grater, grate the yuca. Place the grated yucca root into the food processor using the blade, run the food processor until the yucca turns fine and pasty.
• Place the yuca paste in a colander lined with cheesecloth, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to drain.
• In a skillet simmer ¼ cup of the achiote oil and ¾ cup of sofrito for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water, a beef broth cube, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and oregano, simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add the seasoning to the grated yucca, mix until combined.
• Drizzle ½ cup of achiote oil into the yucca. Mix until well combined and the yuca has an orange color, set aside until ready to use.
• Remove the ridge from the leaves. Cut the banana leaves into 12x12-inch squares and wash the banana leaves under warm running water.
• Working in batches, microwave the banana leaves for 1½ to 2 minutes.
• Set up assembly station with yucca mixture, filling, achiote oil, banana leaves, wax paper squares and butchers twine.
• Lay out a square of wax paper and a square of banana leave over it, spread 1 teaspoon of achiote oil on the banana leaf. Scoop ¼ cup of the yucca mixture onto the banana leaf and spread out into a rectangle.
• Place 2 tablespoons of the filling down the center and top with pimentos, as desired. Using the banana leaf, fold the yucca over the filling.
• Bring the leaf ends together. Fold over twice to create a tight seal. Tuck the ends under. Do the same wrap and fold with the wax paper.
• Tie two pasteles together with butchers twine like a present with the folded ends facing each other.
• At this point, boil them right away, or freeze them until ready to use.
• When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil, drop in the pasteles and boil for 45 minutes for fresh and 1 hour for frozen.
• Using a pair of tongs, pick the pastel out of the water by the string and place on a paper towel. Cut the string and gently unwrap.
• Serve warm, and enjoy!