| EMPANADILLAS WITH CUBAN PICADILLO |
Ingredients:
PASTRY:
3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice OR vinegar
2 egg yolks FILLING:
2 tablespoons annatto oil
1 pound beef chuck -- cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Freshly grated black pepper
Cayenne to taste
1 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup raisins
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
l cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk, cream or water
Cooking Instructions:
PASTRY: Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Combine
water with lemon juice
(or vinegar) and yolks and mix well. Add to flour and, with
your hands, form into a
ball and chill for 30 minutes. Cut ball in half and roll into
large, thin 16 x 20-inch
rectangle. Cut into 4 x 4 inch squares and chill until filling
is ready.
FILLING:
Heat oil in large skillet and brown beef well, 1/3 at a time.
Add salt, pepper and cayenne
to taste and remove from pan. Saute onions, garlic, pepper and
chile until soft.
Return meat and any juices to pan.
Add tomatoes, raisins, and vinegar. Cook until meat is very
tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
Stir in olives and cook for another 10 minutes. Cool to room
temperature.
ASSEMBLY:
Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in pastry squares. Fold
over and seal. Trim any
excess pastry but keep triangle shape. Mix egg and milk (or
cream or water) for
an egg wash and brush it onto the turnovers. Place on greased
cookie sheets.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes until golden.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
SAUCE:
1/4 cup pure Spanish olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup tomatoes, canned, drained and chopped OR prepared tomato
sauce
1/2 cup pimiento, drained and finely chopped
2 tablespoons dry sherry
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste EGGS:
8 large eggs
4 tablespoons salted butter
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, for garnish
Cooking Instructions:
In a medium-size skillet over low heat, heat the oil until it
is fragrant, then cook the onion,
bell pepper, and garlic, stirring, until tender, 8 to 10
minutes. Add the tomatoes, pimientos,
and sherry, cook until thickened, 15 minutes, and season with
salt and pepper. Lightly oil 4
ramekins or au gratin dishes and divide the sauce among them.
For each dish, break two eggs
into a saucer, slide them on top of the tomato mixture, and
drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted
butter. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven until the whites
are set and the yolks are still
soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and
parsley, and serve immediately from
the baking dishes.
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