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Macabeo is a fried food that is prepared with banana dough and ground meat. In the 1930s, Macabeo was the culinary staple of dozens of street vendors in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. This fried food was mainly made by women, not only to feed their children, but to earn a living. One of the most famous salespeople was Romualda Báez. Romualda's connection with this fried food was such that today a statue stands in the public square of Trujillo Alto in her honor.

History

There is no record of who was the creator of this fry. However, the most popular theory highlights Doña Carmen Romero, wife of Andrés Valcárcel Reyes, mayor of Trujillo Alto from 1904 to 1936. Experts in the town's history claim that the Macabeo recipe was born to feed the people of Trujillo. It was also the main strategy for women, heads of families, to have a means of livelihood. 

At that time, people elected people with money as mayors, because they were the ones who often bought them medicine or supplied them with food. In Trujillo Alto, Don Andrés Valcárcel was an upper class person. Also, Doña Carmen gave food to people. It is said that Doña Carmen invented the Macabeo to feed the people taking advantage of the abundance of bananas. Thus, the Trujillo dish at that time was rice, beans and a Macabeo. 

Name's origin

The exact detail of why the fry is named after Maccabeus is unknown. Some suggest it may have come from the story of the Maccabees in the Bible. Said Jewish people resisted various battles by garrisoning themselves in their area, preventing them from being invaded. For Trujillo residents, the town of Trujillo Alto is basically garrisoned since it has only one entrance. It is thought that the name arose from the geographical issue of the town. Although the history is not clear, this delicious fried food is still made with unmatched skill and flavor. Here is a video of 'Maccabeus in the Style of the Misi'.

Maccabee Festival

The Macabeo Festival began to be celebrated annually since 1983, in honor of the native fried food of Trujillo Alto. This cultural festival begins in mid-December, with typical music, troubadour competitions for children and adults, crafts and kiosks. If you travel to Puerto Rico in mid-December, don't forget to visit Trujillo Alto to enjoy a Macabeo.

Recipe for 12 Maccabees

Ingredients

8 green bananas (fresh)

Cooked ground beef

Salt and annatto oil

Sautéed, onion and garlic (optional)

Procedure

1) Boil 6 bananas and add salt (sauté, onion and garlic optional).

2) Mash the 6 boiled bananas until you achieve a texture that has some lumps.

3) Grind or grate the other 2 bananas.

4) Add the grated bananas to the mashed boiled banana mass. 

5) Add annatto oil to the dough. The dough should be left with small lumps, that is the distinctive part of the dish. Season with salt to taste.

6) Place a banana leaf to prepare the macabeo and add a little achiote oil.

7) Place a portion of the dough on the sheet and add the cooked ground meat. The dough must be freshly cooked and hot to be able to handle the dough better and close it in the shape of a crescent. 

8) Fold the sheet with the meat and the dough inside, so that a half moon is formed.

9) Fry in very hot oil for a short time. You don't have to fry it too much, but until it browns on the outside.

Foto: El Calderito de Otilia

Carmen M. Pérez Velázquez