Loiza is a town on the north coast that is the African heart of Puerto Rico. Another of Puerto Rico’s traditional delights are empanadillas de jueyes. These banana leaf-wrapped treats are typical of the town of Loiza, and are prepared from land crabs that have been fed a diet of bread and coconut. They’re available in several small restaurants, but the woman who is the acknowledged master of empanadillas is Marí Dolores de Jesús, nicknamed Lula. At her small roadside spot, El Buren de Lula, we watch as she prepares them.
For recipes, visit www.ciaprochef.com/WCA7
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