Chile Empanadas Recipe

Yields 30+ empanadas

Ingredients:

1 pound (450 g) Certified Angus Beef ® shredded beef
3 each serrano peppers, cleaned, seeded, membrane removed and finely minced
1 teaspoon (5 g) freshly minced ginger
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lite teriyaki marinade
4 cloves garlic, cleaned and minced
3 ounces (84 g) onion, cleaned and finely diced
1 teaspoon (5 g) cumino powder
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
12 each stuffed olives, diced
2 ounces (60 g) Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons (15 g) chopped parsley
2 tablespoons (15 g) finely minced lemon grass
Freshly cracked white pepper to taste
Empanada Dough (recipe below)
Pablano Sauce (recipe below)

Preparation:

Placed diced beef in large mixing bowl. Add peppers, ginger, teriyaki, garlic, onion and cumino powder. Combine mixture thoroughly. Wrap with plastic and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

In large rondeau, heat olive oil and sauté meat mixture quickly, until evenly browned; stir frequently. Add olives and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning with parsley, lemon grass and pepper. Remove mixture from heat and cool in refrigerator.

To assemble, roll out dough evenly to approximately 1/8 -inch thick and cut 3 to 4-inch circles. Spoon equal amount of meat mixture in center of each dough circle. Fold to form half moon and seal gently with tines of fork.

Place empanadas on sheet pan and bake at 350° F for 15 minutes, until evenly browned. Serve with Poblano Sauce.

Empanada Dough

Ingredients:

3 1/2 (440 g) cups pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon (3.75 g) salt
4 tablespoons (60 g) sweet cream butter
8 tablespoons (120 g) vegetable shortening
3/4 cup (180 ml) ice water

Preparation:

Sift flour with salt. Crumble butter into flour and mix to resemble course meal. Add shortening and combine.

Add ice water until dough mixture comes together. Form into ball and wrap in plastic. Place in refrigerator.

Rest mixture 3 hours in refrigerator before use.

Poblano Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound (450 g) plum tomatoes, cored and halved
2 pounds (900 g) poblano peppers, washed and cleaned, oven roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil for roasting peppers and tomatoes
6 tablespoons (90 ml) tomato purée
3/4 ounces (21 g) garlic, peeled and oven roasted
5 cups (1.2 L) mayonnaise
4 tablespoons (60 ml) short-cut chives
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly cracked white pepper
4 teaspoons (20 ml) fresh-snipped oregano
10 drops Tabasco sauce
1/3 teaspoon (2 ml) Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

Rub tomatoes and peppers with olive oil and oven roast. Peel, seed and dice peppers, and combine with roasted tomatoes, tomato purée and garlic. Blend in blender until puréed.

Remove and combine with mayonnaise. Adjust seasoning with remaining ingredients. Chill and serve with e mpanadas. Yields 48 oz. +/- 1 1/2 liter.