Dominican Style: Beef-filled empanadas
Although fried foods are definitely not the healthiest, every once in a while you have to get your fix of comfort food. Empanadas hit the spot for me every single time. They are relatively simple to make and for me, the taste is all in the perfect filling. I cheat and use the ready-made dough discs. In my experience, for things like this (empanadas, dumplings, wontons...) the ready made dough doesn't taste much different from the dough made from scratch. Next on my list is Colombian Empanadas, which do require a specific type of dough that I will be making from scratch. Stay Tuned! Click 'Read More' for recipe -->
1 package of frozen empanada discs (package usually includes 10; find it in the frozen food section; look for brands like Goya) *I prefer the ones without the orange food coloring but it really doesn't affect taste either way
.5 to .75 lbs of beef (I've done it with either quantities; it really depends on how beefy you like your empanadas. Okay, really it depends on how hungry you are when cooking and how likely it is you'll be snacking as you cook! 1/2 lb is definitely enough)
1 medium sized Vidalia (yellow) onion
A healthy handful of fresh cilantro, chopped finely
2 large garlic cloves, minced (you have to use fresh garlic)
1/4 a can of Goya: Tomato Sauce (salsa de tomate)
1 packet of Sazon Goya (found in your spanish isle at the grocery store; orange box)
1 teaspoon of Adobo seasoning (Note: some people use a lot of Adobo as their main seasoning to cook. I prefer to use it in place of salt but let the fresh vegetables and herbs give the seasoning to my food; If you like saltier food, you may want to add more to taste; From my tasters, I gather that this is the perfect amount!)
1 teaspoon of ground Cumin
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (this is really the secret)
Leaves off 1 fresh sprig of Oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of the dry herb)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons of olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer)
some flour for dusting (This is the secret if you are scared of splattering during frying, like I am!)
Leave the frozen discs out on the counter to thaw out a bit (they generally do not come frozen solid from the store. You want to be able to separate the discs)
In a mixing bowl, combine: beef, apple cider vinegar, packet of Sazon Goya, cumin, adobo, chopped oregano, fresh ground pepper, half of the minced garlic and the chopped cilantro. Use your hands to really mix the ingredients well; let stand covered while you follow the rest of the steps.
Meanwhile, chop the green and red peppers very finely (I like to do this because it ensures they mix well through out the filling. Some people prefer larger chunks of pepper; your choice). Chop the onions finely.
Heat a non-stick skillet large enough to fit the meat with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the the other half of the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the onions, green and red peppers and cook until vegetables are tender (about 5-7 minutes). Add about 1/4 of the can of Goya: Tomato Sauce. (Note: things will splatter a bit). Stir. The goal is to make a nice cooking base for the meat.
When the tomato sauce is heated through add the beef and using a wooden (or plastic) spoon, break up the meat into small chunks and cook until brown. It is important to cook the meat all the way through (it will all be an even brown color) but not overcook it until it is dry. This filling should be juicy. You want to reduce some of the tomato sauce but still let the filling have a "squishy" consistency. The beef will also cook some more during frying.
Turn of the heat and let the filling stand for 5 minutes. This will also let it dry out a bit more. Stir the filling well before the next step.
Lay out a flour disc. The amount of filling is really up to you. Anywhere between 1 to 1.5 tablespoons is usually good. Scoop the filling onto the center of the disc. Fold the disc in half and press so that the edges meet all the way around. Using a fork, press the dough closed all around so that you get the ridges pictured above. Make sure the empanadas are fully closed so that they don't open up again during frying. Repeat for all 10 discs.
Dust the empanadas lightly with flour on both sides.
If you have a deep fryer, excellent (you probably know where to go from here). If not, a large, bottom heavy skillet will work. You want something that heats evenly all the way through. Fill it with vegetable oil enough to fully cover an empanada and heat the oil on medium high. When the oil starts to get "wavy", you can see it start to ripple, add an empanada. It should start to sizzle right away.
Fry on each side about 2 minutes until golden brown like pictured above. Be careful, these can burn easily. Add as many empanadas that can fit in one layer on the skillet or as many as you think you can handle watching. When they are golden brown on both sides, transfer to a plate with a paper towel.
Now you're ready to eat! Although these will be hot! Serve with lime wedges and your favorite hot sauce. I like to take a bite off the top to open up a nice hole, squeeze lime into it and a dash of hot sauce: bite and repeat. A nice cold beer doesn't hurt either.
Variations: You can add raisins or olives (if you like them) to the filling. The raisins do give a nice sweet taste. The olives offer a tangy taste, although I'm not a fan of olives. If you want to add either one, use about 1/4 of a cup. You can leave the raisins whole, but chop the olives into quarters. You would add these to the raw meat mixture in step 1.
