Pepinos Rellenos: Colombian Stuffed Cucumbers

Pepinos Rellenos or Stuffed Cucumbers are a traditional Colombian dish. However, the cucumbers used in this dish are not any type of cucumber that I had ever seen. This cucumber variety is native to Mexico and is often found in Central and South American dishes. (Click here for a picture). I'm not even sure we could find this species of cucumber in the states. Perhaps in the southwest, but I've never seen it on the east coast. To me it resembles a green pepper and has a similar mild taste. However, there is a subtle difference namely the extra soft texture of the plant.

When at the table I causally mentioned to my family that the "cucumber" was actually just green pepper with a fancy name, I was chided and assured that it most definitely was not a pepper. After tasting it, I have to agree. However, between you and me, in lieu of Colombian cucumber, I imagine a green pepper would work as a good substitute as the curry and cumin spiced stuffing and thick milky sauce is what truly gives this dish its zing. One of my favorite surprising additions to the stuffing is the inclusion of a half of a hard boiled egg holding the stuffing together on the top and bottom of the cucumber. It's a delicious addition to the mix of flavors. I hope you get a chance to try this recipe because it really is very good.

Ingredients

8 Large Cucumbers
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Tablespoons of Butter
2 cups of Milk 

Stuffing
1 lbs Ground Beef 
1 lbs of Potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cloves of Garlic, diced
1 Large Onion, diced
2 Tomatoes, diced
2 Hard Boiled Eggs, cut in half
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1½ cups of Water
Cumin
Salt

Directions

Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet and brown the ground beef and potatoes until throughly cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients for the stuffing and continue cooking for 15 minutes until the stuffing becomes thick and well mixed. 

Cut off the tops of the cucumbers. Clean out the seeds and put them in a large pot of water to boil for 10 minutes  Add salt to the water. After 10 minutes, remove the cooked cucumbers and dry them off. Before adding the stuffing, place a half of a hard boiled egg on one end of the cucumber, then fill it with the stuffing. Once stuffed, place the other half of the hard boiled egg and seal with the top of the cucumber. Put the cucumbers back into the skillet and add the milk, butter, and onion on top to make a sauce. Put the fire on low and cook for 20 minutes. Serve with white rice.