Empanadas

I've been on a huge latin food kick lately.  I just can't get enough tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, patacones, chimichurri, empanadas...and the list goes on.  Since I'm still searching for that perfect hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant here in Columbus that serves all of the above, I've been trying my hand at some of my favorite dishes in my own kitchen. Empanadas are definitely at the top of the list and what do you know, they're easy enough to make at home.  I first tried empanadas in Barcelona, near La Segrada Familia and I fell in love with their buttery, flaky crust and the powerhouse flavor packed inside.  My empanadas are dynamic, smoky and indulgent and repackaged a croissant-like crust.  They are best served hot, right out of the oven, but taste great at room temperature as well.  They can even be made in advance, frozen and cooked later on.  You gotta try these!

This recipe has many steps, but don't be intimidated.  They're all easy and the result is worth it.   

Empanadas Perfecto 
This recipe makes 8 empanadas.

For the marinade:

Zest and juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

2 garlic cloves

1 t. Cumin

1 t. Smoked Paprika

1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce (more if you like it spicy)

1 T. Cilantro

1/4 C. Oil

Salt & Pepper 

For the filling:

Flank Steak, cut into small cubes
1 Onion, diced
1 Red Pepper, diced

For the crust:
Puff Pastry (2 sheets)
1 Egg, beaten
Avocado, tomato & cilantro, for garnish

In a blender, pulse the citrus juice, garlic, spices, chipotle, cilantro, oil and salt & pepper.  Your mixture should be thin and a bright orange color.

Carefully pour this marinade into a big resealable bag.  Add the cubed steak and allow it to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours, or at least for 30 minutes.

Heat a couple Tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet.  When it's hot, add the onions and peppers.  Cook over medium until they have caramelized.  When they are dark and golden, remove them from the skillet and set aside to cool.  Don't skimp on their cooking time - they're going to add great flavor to the empanadas.

Remove your puff pastry from the freezer and allow it to thaw.  Preheat the oven to 400.

Reheat that same skillet over medium heat.  Add your steak with the marinade and cook over medium heat until the steak is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.  When the meat is thoroughly cooked, but not overdone, remove the skillet from the heat.  Allow to cool slightly.

Open your puff pastry and lay it flat on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Working quickly, cut the puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares.  To each square, add about 2 Tablespoons bit of the steak and onion mixture.  Brush the left side and bottom side of each square with a bit of beaten egg so the pastry seals when it's folded.  Take the top right corner of each square and fold it over to the bottom left corner.  Use a fork to crimp the edges, sealing in that great flavor.  Slice an X on the top so the steam can escape and brush the entire triangle with beaten egg.

Pop them in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.  Serve with fresh avocado, tomato and cilantro.

If you find that you have leftover filling, use it in some tortillas or simply with an egg on top.  

Apple Cheesecake Purses

A very long time ago at a family wedding, I tried a scrumptious little pastry purse filled with spinach and cheese.  It was so delicate and elegant, even tied with an edible green string of some herbaceous origin.  I was fascinated.  How could such a delectable treat also look so precious?  And thus started my obsession with fancy petite appetizers and finger foods.  Now, you can find them in the frozen section of the grocery store, which sadly, has eliminated most of the magic...

I recently spent some time with my Gram in Tucson and was inspired to recreate the pastry purse.  I made it with apples and cheese instead and it turned out fabulously.  Try this for a tasteful dessert at your next dinner party and your guests will literally  beg  for more.  

 2 T. Butter

3 large Fuji apples, peeled and chopped

1 t. Cinnamon

1/2 t. Nutmeg

Pinch of clove

2 T. Sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

3 T. powdered sugar

Orange zest

Puff Pastry

Egg, for brushing

In a medium skillet, sauté the apples, spices and sugar until apples have softened.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the cream cheese, sugar and zest.  Set aside.

Cut 4" circles in the puff pastry using a bowl as a guide.  Trim the edges so that you have flower, petal-like edges.  Dock the pastry with holes so that it does not rise as much as it normally would.  Sprinkle each disk with cinnamon and sugar.  Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cheesecake mixture onto the puff pastry.  Top with a small amount of the apple mixture.  Fold each edge of pastry up and over the mixture and to the right so that each one slightly overlaps the next.  (Do not stretch the dough or it will just pull right back to its original size).  Set on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. 

In a small bowl, beat an egg with a bit of water.  Brush each puff pastry purse with the egg.  Bake the purse in the oven for about 6 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.  Serve with