Beef and Poblano Empanadas

 

Ingredients for the dough: 

5 cups of flour
6 TBSP unsalted butter
salt
1 1/2 cups of room temp water

Ingredients for the filling: 

1 TBSP canola oil

1 TBP butter

1 1/4 lb ground beef

2 medium red onions, diced small

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp cayenne

4 ounces full fat cream cheese, cut into small cubes and chilled

1/2 cup cheddar jack cheese

3 medium poblanos

salt and pepper

Other ingredients: 

1 quart vegetable or canola oil

1-2 cups of tomato salsa

coarse salt

ancho chili powder

1 egg, whisked

Directions: 

1. Start with the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, butter and 1 tablespoon of salt on medium speed until completely blended. With the motor running, slowly add in water and continue to mix until a soft and pliable dough forms, 3 to 5 minutes. Flatten the dough into a 6-inch round, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to let rest for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

2. Over an open flame or grill, roast the poblanos on all sides until charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside to let cool enough to handle. Remove the skin, seeds and ribs. Cut the peppers into small pieces.  Set aside to let cool.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat until it smokes lightly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the ground beef in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the beef, transfer the meat to a large bowl, and set aside.

4. In a separate skillet, melt 1 TBSP tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Mix the onions and garlic into the beef, add the poblanos and chill in the refrigerator. Once the meat mixture is cooled, add cumin, cayenne, cream cheese and shredded cheese and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning.

5. For Empanadas: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and dust with flour, set aside. Lightly dust a flat work surface with flour. Roll out dough into a 1/8-inch thick sheet. Make sure you flour only one side of the dough (if you flour both sides this will prevent the dough from sticking together when crimping the empanada.) Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to stamp out 23 to 25 rounds.

6. Place a TBSP of beef mixture in the center of each round. One by one brush around the edges with egg wash, fold the dough in half to form a half moon and crimp the edges together by gently pressing them with the tines of a fork to seal. Repeat until all empanadas are formed. Refrigerate the tray with empanadas for 1 hour. 

7. At the hour mark, preheat your oven to 250 degrees. 

8. Place a wire rack on a sheet tray, set aside. In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil until it reaches 350 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Prepare a small dish with equal parts coarse salt and ancho chili powder for dusting. 

9. Slowly place 4-5 empanadas into the hot oil (don't crowd the pot) and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer cooked empanadas to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Sprinkle immediately with salt and ancho chile powder. Place the sheet pan in the oven and then work on the next batch. 

Serve with your favorite tomato salsa, chipotle lime crema or aji verde sauce. 

You can freeze uncooked empanadas in a single layer. Once frozen it's ok to transfer them to ziploc bag.  It's also nice to bake them instead of fry for a change.  Preheat oven to 400.  Set empanadas on parchment paper. Brush both sides with egg wash (with a splash of water) and bake for 25 minutes.  About 10 minutes left, flip them.  Enjoy!  

Wine pairing: 

Lan

Gran Reserva

Rioja

2011

Rioja, Spain