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Serves 6

These are so gorgeous that no one ever guesses they take mere minutes to make, and I don’t tell them either! Guava with farmer cheese is a classic South American combination that I play with here. I find fresh garlic overwhelming in this filling, so I use garlic salt instead. If you don’t like garlic salt, you can make the filling with some chopped shallot instead. Guava shells are available in cans and are semisoft, tender, and sweet, a little smaller than a peach half. Stunning and elegant, the sweet guava and tangy cheese make quite a pair!

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can guava shells, drained and patted dry
6 ounces of goat cheese, farmer cheese, or cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions

Directions:

1. Arrange the guava shells on a serving platter. Place the cheese in a bowl and stir in the garlic salt, oregano, and basil.

2. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, place a rounded ball of the cheese mixture in each guava shell and sprinkle with some fresh chives. Serve at room temperature on a deviled egg or escargot platter, if you have one (the little indentations are perfect holders for the guava cup).

Chica tip:
Turn a resealable plastic bag into a piping bag for fancy presentations. Place a smooth, soft mixture (such as the herbed cheese or frosting or pâté) in a quart-size resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, cut a small upside-down V into one corner of the bag and squeeze out the filling.

Source: Simply Delicioso: A Collection of Everyday Recipes with a Latin Twist. Reprinted with permission.