Wagyu Chorizo Empanadas With Roasted Poblano Crema Food

BEEF AND ROASTED POBLANO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, 5 tablespoons 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.
• For the Filling: 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. 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.
• In a separate skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt, and cook until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Mix the onions and garlic into the beef and chill in the refrigerator. Once the meat mixture is cooled, add cumin and cayenne and mix to combine cumin. Add the cream cheese and mix well.
• Meanwhile, on 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 strips. Set aside to let cool.
• 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 24 to 26 rounds.
• Place a couple of strips of poblano in the center of one round and top it with 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture. 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. Place the cookie cutter over the empanada and use the edge to cut off any excess dough. Repeat with the remaining poblano strips, filling, and dough. Place the empanadas as done in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet that has been dusted with flour. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Place a wire rack on a sheet tray, set aside. In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the remaining canola oil until it reaches 350 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Slowly place 3 to 4 empanadas into the hot oil (don't crowd the pot) and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes total. Transfer cooked empanadas to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Sprinkle immediately with salt. Working in batches, fry the remaining empanadas and arrange in a single layer on the rack. Place the sheet pan in the center of the oven and heat for 5 to 8 minutes to ensure the centers of the empanadas are warm.
• Serve empanadas with tomato salsa on the side.

POTATO, PEPPER, AND CHORIZO EMPAñADAS

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Cook chorizo in oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 2 minutes, then transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon. Add onions to saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and very soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, bay leaf, salt, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers are very soft, about 15 minutes. Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, then stir into onion mixture and cook over moderately low heat, covered, stirring frequently, until potatoes are just barely tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add potato mixture to chorizo and stir to combine. Cool filling to room temperature and discard bay leaf.
• Form and bake empanadas:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a disk. Keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling onto center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal, then crimp decoratively with your fingers or tines of a fork. Transfer empanada to a baking sheet. Make 11 more empanadas in same manner, arranging on 2 baking sheets.
• Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

WAGYU CHORIZO EMPANADAS WITH ROASTED POBLANO CREMA

Steps:

• PREPARING THE CHORIZO FILLING: Heat medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of grapeseed oil to the pan, and let it heat up. Remove chorizo from casings and cook in pan, while breaking up the chorizo into smaller pieces. Place small diced yukon gold potatoes in a bowl and drain chorizo fat over them (enough to coat the potatoes and discard the remaining liquid). Sprinkle with potatoes with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat oven to 450 degrees, and place potatoes on a lined tray. Bake the potatoes for 15 Minutes (this will soften them up and get some of the chorizo fat cooked in). Let the potatoes cool. Add cooked/baked potatoes and jack cheese to the bowl with chorizo. Mix ingredients together. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• PREPARING THE DOUGH AND COOKING THE EMPANADAS: In a food processor or with a hand mixer, blend up the cream cheese and butter until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add the all purpose flour and kosher salt. Continue mixing. Add cold water in slowly, while mixing until dough holds together in a ball. Divide into 3-ounce balls, and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Pull dough from the refrigerator, and flatten with either a tortilla press that is wrapped in plastic or roll out into 4" rounds. Whisk up an egg for the egg wash, and have a pastry brush ready. Put approximately 3 tablespoons of Fullblood Wagyu chorizo filling in the middle of each round. Brush the exterior edge with egg wash, and fold in half to enclose the filling. Use a fork to press and seal the edges closed. Place empanadas on a lined sheet tray. Brush the tops of the empanadas with egg wash. Place in the oven, and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (for approximately 15 minutes). Serve with the roasted poblano crema (see instructions below).
• PREPARING THE ROASTED POBLANO CREMA: Blacken the outside skins of the poblano pepper (by grilling or over an open flame), and then let it cool. Remove stem and seeds from the pepper, and coarsely chop. Add sour cream, lime juice, and chopped pepper to a blender, and blend until smooth. Serve with the Fullblood Wagyu chorizo, jack cheese, and potato empanadas. Enjoy!