Pork Empanadas With Thyme Food

PORK EMPANADAS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Set a steamer basket in a pot with 2 inches boiling water. Add potato, cover, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to high and add pork, thyme, and sage; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until blended, about 30 seconds. Add raisins (if using) and 2 tablespoons water; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in potato, pine nuts (if using), and vinegar. Season filling with salt and pepper and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 400, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a floured surface, divide dough in half and roll each piece to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 6-inch cookie cutter or plate as a guide, cut out 8 circles. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edge of dough with water; fold top half over filling. Press edges to seal, then crimp firmly with a fork.
• Transfer empanadas to two baking sheets lined with parchment. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush empanadas with egg wash and top with thyme sprigs. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

EASY MINI PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
• When the pan is hot, pour in the oil then add the pork, breaking the meat into small crumbles.
• Then add the jerk seasoning, thyme and garlic. If using sausage, add 1 tablespoon of jerk seasoning. If using fresh ground pork, add two tablespoons of jerk seasoning.
• Stir and cook until pork is fully cooked. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Lightly beat an egg in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, use a rolling pin to slightly stretch a single puff pastry sheet, leaving it about 1/4-inch larger all around.
• Using a 3-inch cutter, cut rounds out of the dough. Place the cutter as close as possible to the previous cut edges to maximize use of the dough. You should be able to cut 9 to 11 rounds from each sheet.
• Then brush a bit of egg wash around the edges of the cut dough, place one level teaspoon of cooked pork in the center, fold the dough over and seal it with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet and cover with a dish towel to keep moist. Repeat until all the cut round have been used.
• Repeat the process with the remaining puff pastry sheets.
• Bake for 18 minutes or until empanadas are puffed and golden brown.
• Serve warm, either plain or with your choice of salsa or sour cream.

PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• To make the filling: Place pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. While pork is cooking, prepare dough.
• To make the dough: Sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening to the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and 1/2 cup milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• After the pork has simmered for 1 1/2 hours, remove from liquid. Place pork in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until meat shreds easily with fork. Remove from oven (keep oven turned on) and shred into small pieces. Add salsa to shredded pork.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• On lightly floured surface, flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to make a 5-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk. Fold dough over filling. Pinch edges together. Crimp with fork to seal.
• Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining empanada dough. Leftover filling can be frozen or used in tacos, tamales, or burritos.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove to rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

CHILI PORK EMPANADAS WITH AVOCADO DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Add the oil to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the pork with chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and quickly sear for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan to a bowl and cool slightly. Add the scallions, cilantro, chipotles and queso fresco and mix well.
• Roll out the pie rounds on a lightly floured surface and using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, punch out rounds of dough. Put about 2 tablespoons of the filling, off-center, on each dough round. Brush the edges of the dough with beaten egg. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork. Arrange them on a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper and brush the tops with remaining beaten egg. Bake until nicely browned, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the empanadas from the oven and arrange them on a platter. Serve with the dipping sauce.
• Dipping Sauce:
• In the same pan the pork was cooked in, add the butter. Turn the heat to high and add the shallots. Cook the shallots until nicely caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots, avocado, olive oil, red wine vinegar and sour cream to a blender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and puree until smooth and velvety. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the empanadas.

PORK AND POTATO EMPANADAS WITH CHARRED TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the filling: Coat a large wide pot with extra-virgin olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add the pork, cumin and some salt, and cook until the pork is cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set aside. Return the pan to the heat, and coat with more oil if needed. Add the onions, season with salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Toss in the poblanos and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the pork to the pan and add the potatoes. Season with salt, and stir to combine. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Add the wine and scrape the crud off the bottom of the pan. Then add the stock and bay leaf. Taste and season if needed. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid evaporates. The filling should be saucy but not soupy. Remove the bay leaf and cool the filling completely.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water, and work it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly dust a rolling pin and a clean surface with flour. Divide the dough in half. Refrigerate half of the dough and roll out the other half of the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Grill the tomatillos on all sides until charred, then remove and cool. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the tomatillos.
• Coat a large saute pan with oil and set over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapenos and half of the cilantro, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatillos, season with salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime zest and juice and the remaining cilantro. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
• Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with some egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the tops of the empanadas for the steam to escape. Bake until golden brown, 30 minutes.
• Serve hot with the charred tomatillo salsa.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Apply Neely's Seasoning to each pork chop. Place pork chops in a large freezer safe plastic bag. Pour 2 cups of Neely's BBQ sauce into bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 8 hours.
• Place pork chops on grill and cook until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Reapply BBQ sauce to pork chops prior to serving.
• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
• Over high heat, bring ingredients to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
• Once sauce comes to a boil, reduce temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours.

EMPANADA PORK FILLING

Steps:

• Cook the ground pork in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until completely browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat; cook the onion and garlic in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir the browned pork into the onion mixture; cook and stir another 5 minutes. Mix the potato, peas and carrots, and raisins into the pork; allow the mixture to cook together until the vegetables are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Allow the filling to cool completely before spooning into empanada dough.

DOUGH FOR PORK EMPANADAS WITH THYME

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), baking powder, and coarse salt. Add minced fresh sage and thyme; pulse until combined. Add cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces butter remaining. Add 1 cup ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until dough comes together, 4 to 5 times.

PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Stir together the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder. Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Place the pork in a large pot on a bed of the onion halves. Roast until fork-tender and falling apart, about 7 hours. Remove the pork from the pot and set it on a cutting board. Slice some of the onion.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water. Scrape the pan to loosen up the bits and cook for 5 minutes to reduce. Pour in the barbecue sauce and stir to heat.
• Shred the meat with two forks, add the sliced onions to the pork and then toss in the barbecue sauce until it's coated to your liking! Serve on hamburger rolls.

PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl or food processor combine flour, masa harina, baking and baking powder. Cut in lard and a slowly add in the water.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Shape into 12 balls and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F Roll out each ball of dough into a 6 inch circle. Drop about 2 tablespoons of pork in the center of each circle.
• Fold the circles and seal the dough using a fork or pastry tool. Brush with milk. Bake for about 20 minutes or untill golden brown.

SPICY PULLED PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Add the flour, salt, and butter to a food processor and pulse to combine until crumbly and small pieces of butter are still visible. In a small dish, whisk the egg, water, and vinegar together and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Pulse the mixture until it begins to clump into a ball.
• Turn the pastry onto a lightly dusted work surface and gently shape together. Divide in half and flatten into each section into a round disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Melt butter over medium-low heat, add flour, cook and stir for one minute to cook the flour. Whisk in the beef broth, cumin, and garlic powders. Continue to whisk for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. This will be a light sauce. Remove from heat, cover and reserve.
• In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the oil and when it is hot add the onions, cook and stir for 2 minutes, add the garlic, drained green chilies, chopped chipotles, cumin, oregano and salt. Add the shredded pork and toss the mixture together with 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved beef sauce. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one portion to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut into 6-inch circles. We used a 6-inch bowl as a guide. Place the circles of pastry on a sheet of parchment as you cut them. Continue with the second pastry disc, then gather the pastry scraps and lightly press into a disc, roll and cut. You should have 8 completed circles of pastry.
• In a small dish, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg and water together.
• Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
• Working with one pastry circle at a time, brush the edge with some of the egg wash. Pick it up in your hand as shown in the photo and add 3 or 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture inside (about 2 1/2 ounces). Add a few cubes of the cheese, then pinch the pastry closed around the edges. Lay the closed empanada on the work surface and lightly press the edges together with a fork. Place the filled empanada on the prepared baking sheet and proceed with filling the remaining pastry circles.
• Brush the filled empanadas with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
• Reheat the beef sauce and serve with the empanadas

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PRUNES AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Soak the prunes in the white wine (overnight is ideal, but at least 1 hour).
• Sauté shallots in butter with 1 teaspoon of thyme, cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes or until it's reduced. Remove from heat and let it cool down completely
• Use half of the prunes for the stuffing the tenderloin, you can keep them whole or cut them in halves.
• Cut each tenderloin in half, fill with the sauteed shallots, pine nuts, and the prunes. Seal and tie with kitchen twine.
• Rub tenderloins with the remaining thyme, salt and pepper. You can bake them immediately or save refrigerated until ready to bake.
• Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
• Add the remaining prunes, the wine where they were soaking, and stuffed tenderloins to a roasting pan. You can also add your choice of veggies: carrots, cipollini onions, sweet potatoes, etc etc
• Pre-heat oven to 425F, bake for ~ 30 minutes (145 internal temp). If you want the tenderloins to get golden/crispy on top you can turn on the broiler during the last 3-5 minutes.
• Let the tenderloins rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
• You can serve the prunes whole in the pan sauces or if you prefer you can cook/blend some of them to make a thick prune sauce. To do this place the prunes and the roasting liquid in a small sauce pan - if you had any leftover shallots you can add them to the sauce.
• You can also add the juice of one orange or some port or sherry wine to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by ½ to 1/3 - you can serve this sauce with the prunes whole or use an immersion blender to make a smooth sauce.