Empanadas
Empanada Recipe:
Ingredients:
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 cups cornmeal
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup canola oil
-1-1 1/4 cups water
-1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
-1/2 pound lean ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
-2 teaspoons ground cumin
-1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
-2 cups potatoes, diced, cooked or frozen hash-brown potatoes
-3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
-2 scallions, chopped
-1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
-1 egg, mixed with 1/4 cup water for glaze
-Aji Sauce
Directions:
-To prepare dough: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and work with your fingertips until the mixture becomes crumbly. Add water and knead until dough just comes together (do not overwork). Press the dough into two disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
-To prepare filling: Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender or spice mill and grind to a fine powder.
-Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato, cumin, broth, vinegar, potatoes, salt, ground pumpkin seeds and the beef. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes to intensify flavors and reduce liquid. Fold in scallions and hard-boiled egg. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.
-Meanwhile, prepare Aji Sauce. Set aside.
-To assemble empanadas: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. On a well-floured surface, roll out one disk at a time to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles of dough using a 4 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (see Tips). Make 24 circles altogether.
-Brush egg glaze around the edges of the dough circles. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle. Fold filled circles in half, press edges together and crimp with a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush egg glaze over the empanadas.
-Bake the empanadas until golden and crisp, switching the position of the pans midway, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm, accompanied by Aji Sauce.
Ingredients:
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 cups cornmeal
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup canola oil
-1-1 1/4 cups water
-1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
-1/2 pound lean ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
-2 teaspoons ground cumin
-1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
-2 cups potatoes, diced, cooked or frozen hash-brown potatoes
-3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
-2 scallions, chopped
-1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
-1 egg, mixed with 1/4 cup water for glaze
-Aji Sauce
Directions:
-To prepare dough: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and work with your fingertips until the mixture becomes crumbly. Add water and knead until dough just comes together (do not overwork). Press the dough into two disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
-To prepare filling: Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender or spice mill and grind to a fine powder.
-Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato, cumin, broth, vinegar, potatoes, salt, ground pumpkin seeds and the beef. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes to intensify flavors and reduce liquid. Fold in scallions and hard-boiled egg. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.
-Meanwhile, prepare Aji Sauce. Set aside.
-To assemble empanadas: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. On a well-floured surface, roll out one disk at a time to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles of dough using a 4 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (see Tips). Make 24 circles altogether.
-Brush egg glaze around the edges of the dough circles. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle. Fold filled circles in half, press edges together and crimp with a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush egg glaze over the empanadas.
-Bake the empanadas until golden and crisp, switching the position of the pans midway, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm, accompanied by Aji Sauce.
Humitas
Humitas Recipe:
Ingredients:
-6 to 8 ears corn (4 cups kernels) -1/4 cup chopped scallions (white part only) -1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted -3 large eggs, separated -1/2 cup commeal, or more if needed -1 teaspoon baking powder -1 teaspoon salt -1 teaspoon sugar -6 ounces Chihuahua, mozzarella, or Muenster cheese, shredded -1 tablespoon brandy -Kitchen twine, cut into twelve 15-inch lengths -2 cups water -Aji Criollo
Directions: -Have a large pot of water boiling. To remove the husks from the corn, use a sharp, heavy knife to cut through the corncob at the stem end, where the kernels start. Carefully remove the husks. Select the largest for wrapping and blanch in the boiling water for a couple of minutes to make them more pliable. Remove from the water with tongs and set on paper towels to drain. Save the rest to cut into strips for tying or to cover the humitas before steaming.
-With a brush, remove the silk from the corn and rinse. Use the knife to cut the kernels from the cobs (you need 4 cups). Place in a food processor or blender along with the scallions and process until finely ground. Add the butter, egg yolks, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese, and brandy. Pulse until everything is well incorporated and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; the mixture should be thick, not runny. Add more cornmeal if the batter is runny.
-Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold just enough into the corn mixture until it mounds.
-To assemble the humitas, dry the cornhusks and place 2 on the worktable, overlapping them a little. Place a heaping 1/2 cup corn batter on the lower half of the husks, fold the left side over the center, fold the pointed end over, and finally fold the right side over toward the center. Tie around the middle with twine or cornhusk strips.
-Place a quarter in the bottom of a steamer, add the water, and line the steamer basket with small cornhusks. Place a few humitas standing open end up in the steamer. Cover with leftover husks and a clean kitchen towel. Place the cover on the pot, bring to a boil, and steam until the humitas feel firm to the touch, about 30 minutes if small, 45 minutes if large. Add more boiling water if needed (the quarter will stop making noise when all the water has evaporated).
-To serve, remove the twine and place on a plate with the husks opened to expose the humita. Serve with a dish of aji on the side
Ingredients:
-With a brush, remove the silk from the corn and rinse. Use the knife to cut the kernels from the cobs (you need 4 cups). Place in a food processor or blender along with the scallions and process until finely ground. Add the butter, egg yolks, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese, and brandy. Pulse until everything is well incorporated and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; the mixture should be thick, not runny. Add more cornmeal if the batter is runny.
-Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold just enough into the corn mixture until it mounds.
-To assemble the humitas, dry the cornhusks and place 2 on the worktable, overlapping them a little. Place a heaping 1/2 cup corn batter on the lower half of the husks, fold the left side over the center, fold the pointed end over, and finally fold the right side over toward the center. Tie around the middle with twine or cornhusk strips.
-Place a quarter in the bottom of a steamer, add the water, and line the steamer basket with small cornhusks. Place a few humitas standing open end up in the steamer. Cover with leftover husks and a clean kitchen towel. Place the cover on the pot, bring to a boil, and steam until the humitas feel firm to the touch, about 30 minutes if small, 45 minutes if large. Add more boiling water if needed (the quarter will stop making noise when all the water has evaporated).
-To serve, remove the twine and place on a plate with the husks opened to expose the humita. Serve with a dish of aji on the side
Suspiros
Suspiros Recipe:
Ingredients:
-8 egg whites
-1/2 lemon
-3 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
-Baking paper
Directions:
-Beat the eggs until they form soft peaks. Continue to beat them as you gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and juice from 1/2 a lemon. Beat continually until firm peaks form.
-Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 Celcius). Place a piece of baking paper on a cookie sheet and drop the meringue by large spoonfuls onto the paper. Lower the oven temperature to about 250 and bake until slightly toasted.
-Remove and cool. Your meringues will be crunchy but fragile and will break easily. They'll also melt in your mouth.
Ingredients:
-8 egg whites
-1/2 lemon
-3 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
-Baking paper
Directions:
-Beat the eggs until they form soft peaks. Continue to beat them as you gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and juice from 1/2 a lemon. Beat continually until firm peaks form.
-Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 Celcius). Place a piece of baking paper on a cookie sheet and drop the meringue by large spoonfuls onto the paper. Lower the oven temperature to about 250 and bake until slightly toasted.
-Remove and cool. Your meringues will be crunchy but fragile and will break easily. They'll also melt in your mouth.