RECIPE: Baked Stuffed Papaya
This dish is a delectable and unusual main course, with the sweetness of the papaya mingling with the savory flavors of meat and spices. Serve with a salad and rice pilaf for a complete meal.
Serves six.
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
2 Tablespoons of flat parsley, chopped
1 Hawaiian chili pepper, seeded and minced (or 1/2 tsp of dried red pepper)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper
3 papayas (about 1 pound each) cut in half and seeded
Salt and pepper
1/2 – 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (shredded cheeses and/or crumbled feta)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Saute onion in oil in a large skillet until onion is translucent.
- Add beef, pork and garlic, breaking up meat and cooking until browned.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper and cinnamon; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.
- Place papaya in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Spoon meat mixture into papaya halves.
- Pour hot water into baking dish to a depth of 1 inch.
- Bake until papaya is tender, about 50 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
This post has been a contribution by Kristin Frost Albrecht on behalf of The Food Basket, Hawai’i Island’s Food Bank.