• Start a personal food blog, or, start a community food thread for all.

Empanadas...

I'd like to dedicate this appetizer recipe to a good Argentine friend of mine, Ruben whose recovering from a 5-way heart by-pass. He spent a good part of his life traveling with his band (drummer) from one country to the next. ........ here's my take on the dish probably similar to one that's made from a South American region
 
 
 

 
Ingredients: Mint, Cilantro, Oregano, Culantro, Italian Parsley, Lime Leaves, Garlic, Onion, Shallot, Scallions, Jamaican Red Hab, Aji Venezolano Pepper, Eggs, Flour, Flour, Cream, Pepper, Salt, Ground Beef (85/15) Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Cumin, Golden Raisens, Paprika, Spanish Olives.
 

 
Blend the 1/2 cup of each Mint, Cilantro, Oregano, Italian Parsley, Culantro,  ,...Lime Leaves (3), Scallions (green parts only)  4 chopped green Aji Peppers along with 2 tbls of water. While blender is running drizzle in Olive Oil to a loose but blended sauce forms. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside. ...Meanwhile, hard boil eggs...when cooled down, peel and chop. Set aside.
 

 
Brown the Ground Beef  (2lbs) in 2 tbls of Sunflower Oil, add  1 chopped onion, 6 minced Garlic Cloves,5 Red Habaneros, 2 tbl Cumin, 1 tbl Paprika, When the meat is browned remove pan from heat  Stir in Hard Boiled Eggs, 1/2  c of Golden Raisens,  1/2 c chopped Olives. Set aside
 

 
In a mixer cream 1 stick of unsalted Butter and 8oz Cream Cheese. Fold in and gradually mix 1.5 c Flour, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tbl Sugar,  Remove dough when clumped together. Knead to combine and flatten into disc.
 

 
Place dough in the fridge for at least 30 min. ( I made 2 discs total).
 

 
The dough was removed from the fridge and rolled out to about 1/8" thick piece. I used a 4" cutting disc, then placed each piece in a tortilla press to get a thin uniform piece. A smell scoop was used for the filling and a brush of a beaten Egg was brushed on half the dough. Fold dough over and pinch/fold the edges. Fire up oven to 350. Brush tops of Empanadas with a mix of beated Egg and Cream.
 

 
Bake for 12 to 15 min.   ...(I should have used a regular size sheet pan)....over sized pans have there purpose, but even with a convection running its difficult to get an even bake with the lack of overall air circ.
 
 
 
The plating....Beef Empanadas with a slurry of Chimichurri............hmm..........where's the Malbec ?
 
But they are different things...  I don't know this (here is not NY :rolleyes: )

Here there is a dessert with the pastry, I think it was called millefeuille,
 
Also I think it's Italian origin, but is the same. Inside has cream and sprinkle sugar ... I do not remember the name now
 
cypresshill1973 said:
But they are different things...  I don't know this (here is not NY :rolleyes: )
It's an empanada with layered dough but many layers. I don't know how different that is from what you make. I only brought it up because you and PIC 1 both said layered dough. Was wondering if PIC 1 perhaps had some Filipino roots or teachings.

Unless you mean just doubling it up. PIC 1 seemed to be doing many layers with butter.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Duck fat fries supposed to be good, wonder how empies would be... :P
There's a pub in Charleston called the tattooed moose that serves fries done in duck fat they are spectacular!
They also make a duck confit sandwich that will blow you mind. They were on diners drive in and dives, I think that's what they call it? Anyway check them out the also make a pork belly and kimchi to die for I copy it all the time!! Check em out! :)
CHEERS
muskymojo said:
Pretty damn good I bet.That gives me an idea. I need to come up with a dish that has eggs and bird meat in it, and then fry it in bird fat just for Scovie. :lol:
Aaaaahhhhh no more poultry stuffed omelets lol :)
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Duck fat fries supposed to be good, wonder how empies would be... :P
 
RIP Hot Dougs, the very best damn encased meat emporium in Chicago which closed earlier this year.  They did duck fat fries a couple days a week and they were wonderful.  I MISS YOU DOUG!  HOW COULD YOU CLOSE THAT CASH COW!?!?   /derail
 
Wow... I was thrilled to find this thread. I absolutely love "stuffed dough" of all sorts.    From my grandma's fried apple pies or  turnovers along with her dumplings...to others I discovered over the years through traveling and/or friends...like the calzone,pierogi, pastel,samosas, pastelitos,hand pies, Cornish pasty...and there are many more I'd like to sample.
 
I tip my hat to and offer my gratitude to PIC1and cypresshill1973  for your detailed recipe posts and pics. They inspired me to try my hand at making some myself...and I've been excited with the results.
 
I visited a local mexican grocery store and found a couple varieties of the dough.

Then using some leftover pork and chicken I experimented/practiced by making 4 empanada's (two different flavor concoctions)
 
After enjoying the results, I decided to make my version of empanada mendocinas.
 
cubed meat-dry rubbed (overnight)in salt,ancho, pasilla, garlic, powders
Cajun mirepoix blend
Lemon drop powder
chopped black olives
2 chopped boiled eggs
chopped garlic
raisins
recaito
cumin

After "graying" the meat...I added the mirepoix, covered and simmered until the onions became translucent.
Then blended in  the remaining ingredients and simmered for another 5 minutes or so.

After filling the pastry dough disks, I placed them on parchment paper and lightly coated the top with olive oil.
Baked in a convection oven at 375 for 15 minutes

...which resulted in a nice crisp and lightly browned crust.
The only problem I can see coming.....is that I'll be purchasing some larger size pants if I don't pace my "empanada loving" self.
CM

Also, for those who might be interested, I discovered these two wonderfully informative sites...loaded with recipes and techniques.
 
 
Laylita’s Recipes
http://laylita.com/recipes/all-about-empanadas/
 
 
From Argentina with Love
 http://www.fromargentinawithlove.typepad.com/from_argentina_with_love/recipe-index.html
 
Video (shows a demonst the “churito or repulgue” – ie. the curvy ornate seal sealing)
http://www.fromargentinawithlove.typepad.com/from_argentina_with_love/2009/05/empanadas-de-jamon-y-quesoham-cheese-empanadas.html
 
These are great!
 
Chili Monsta said:
After "graying" the meat...I added the mirepoix, covered and simmered until the onions became translucent.
Then blended in  the remaining ingredients and simmered for another 5 minutes or so.
 
Please say browning. That just does not sound right. :)
 
The Hot Pepper said:
These are great!
 
 
Please say browning. That just does not sound right. :)
Actually...."Graying" is an accepted "technique" that I learned from some quite accomplished folks some years ago when first participating in ICS and CASI competition chili cook-offs.... and it's a quite common practice ..at least among the award winning champions.
Specifically, its at that point when the diced meat(I prefer 1/4" cubed tri-tip beef for chili) becomes somewhat "grey" on the outside,while still red in center, and retains the juices and natural flavor of the meat itself.      Conversely, what is described as "browning".... suggests a "browned"-or seared outer surface that most likely will result in an over cooked (ground-cubed)meat with minimal natural juices which is less receptive to absorbing added flavor enhancements.
 
When you think about it....its nearly impossible to actually "brown" ground or finely chopped beef.   Its a ratio sort of thing(volume to surface area) and ground or diced cubes of beef have an abundance of surface area for liquid,fat and "meaty flavors" to escape. When the juices of the meat have bubbled away and evaporated what you are most often left with is a dry and gritty meat with diminished flavor. Then ...IMO...you are faced with how best to re-introduce or decorate the "flavor" of the meat from scratch.  The "graying" approach/technique works for me when doing cubed and ground beef recipes....and has for quite a while....I think I'll stick with it for now anyway.
CM
 
Okay so I like cook until the meat has color better. Still don't like the sound of gray meat. :P
 
Just me.
 
In your pics it's brown. So I'm not worried about it. :D
 
Semantics aside... awesome results!
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Okay so I like cook until the meat has color better. Still don't like the sound of gray meat. :P
 
Just me.
 
In your pics it's brown. So I'm not worried about it. :D
 
Semantics aside... awesome results!
..not really,the photo doesn't show the true color.... the meat is gray...even with a little pink mixed in there....but I try to seal the moisture in on all sides of the cubes as best I can.
Thanks...yes ..they did turn out to be very tasty. ...and sadly(for my waist line), my fridge is full of left overs just screaming to find a life as an empanada.
....wondering why you might have an issue with the "grey" description for the stage of cooking...would you feel better if it was referred to as medium rare cubed meat?...its about the same thing....
 
Back
Top