Beef And Goat Cheese Empanada With Piquillo Pepper Sauce And Pickled Red Onion Food

EGG AND HAM EMPANADAS WITH PIQUILLO PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• For the piquillo pepper sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the piquillo peppers, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a blender, and with the blender running, add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar and blend until smooth and silky. Add the creme fraiche and a touch of honey and pulse a few times just to incorporate; taste, pulse in a bit more honey if necessary. Transfer to a bowl.
• For the empanadas: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes; remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and melt. Add the 8 whisked eggs and cook, stirring until soft curds barely form, then transfer to a bowl and quickly and gently stir in the green onion, goat cheese, ham and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Roll each empanada wrapper on a lightly floured surface into a 7-inch round. Divide the filling among the wrappers, mounding it in the centers. Brush the edges with some of the egg wash. Fold each wrapper over the filling to create half-moon shapes and seal by pressing the edges together firmly with a fork.
• Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Cut a few small slits in the top of each empanada to create steam vents. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with the piquillo pepper sauce.

PIQUILLO PEPPERS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Whisk shallots, scallion and vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Slice open the top of each pepper to create a pocket. Spoon cheese into peppers, dividing it equally among them. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat; coat with cooking spray. Cook peppers, flipping once, until cheese begins to melt, about 30 seconds each side. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with parsley and thyme. Drizzle dressing over peppers and serve.

FLAT IRON STEAK WITH PIQUILLO PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• For the pesto: Combine the piquillo peppers, macadamia nuts, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Spoon the pesto into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
• For the steak: Remove the flat iron steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with the salt. Add the oil to the skillet, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully add the steak to the pan and place a foil-wrapped brick or a small cast-iron pan on top of the steak to weight it down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Remove the weight and, using tongs, flip the steak. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness. Remove the steak from the pan and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with the pesto.

BEEF EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For the filling: Add the oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, sofrito, and peppers, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the tomato paste, adobo, and cilantro, stirring occasionally until combined. Add the ground beef, season, and stir until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, strain, and allow the mixture to cool.
• For the empanada dough: Sift the flour, sugar, and salt onto parchment paper. Place the sifted dry ingredients into a food processor. Add the remainder of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the dough looks like a ball. Remove the ball from the food processor and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Transfer the pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll out until it is 1/16-inch thick. Cut into segments with a 4-inch dough cutter. Each cut will create a dough round. Put 1 tablespoon of the filling onto the upper half of each round, and then fold the bottom pastry up into a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges closed with your finger to fold the upper and bottom halves together. Repeat this step until all the edges are closed.
• For the guava sauce: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is silky and smooth. Pour the sauce in a separate dish or bowl for dipping.
• Put about 2 inches of oil into a heavy, deep skillet over medium heat and heat to 350 degrees F. Add the empanadas, a few at a time, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED PIQUILLO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat Broiler to High.
• With you fingers, gently open the stem end of one of the peppers being careful not to poke through the pepper.
• Carefully stuff about 1/2 teaspon goat cheese inside (it should fill the peppers but not be falling out).
• Continue until all peppers are filled.
• Arrange peppers in a single layer in a broiler-proof glass baking dish.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over them.
• Sprinkle garlic over the peppers.
• Broil for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is soft and bubbly.