Chavrie Crab Empanadas Recipes

CRAB EMPANADAS WITH GARLIC-LIME AIOLI

Steps:

• For the empanadas: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add olive oil to lightly coat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook until just translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the corn, cilantro and crab and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly until cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, roll out each dough into 11-inch rounds, using flour as needed to avoid sticking. Cut the dough using a cookie cutter or lip of a glass into desired size, anywhere from 4 to 6 inches. Use all of the dough, putting scraps together and rolling out again. Divide filling equally among all of the dough, placing the filling in the center. Brush the sides of the dough lightly with the egg wash and fold to form a half moon. Press the edges together with a fork to seal. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and brush with the remaining egg wash. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the top of each empanada to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake until the dough is golden brown and flaky, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with the aioli.
• For the aioli: Add the garlic, vinegar, lime zest and juice and egg yolks to the bowl of a food processor. Turn the machine on. While the machine is running, begin adding the oil, drop by drop, until you see the mixture thicken. When the mixture begins to look like a smooth homogeneous mixture, the oil can be added in a slow thin stream. If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it down. Season with salt and taste to make sure it is delicious.

CRAB AND GOAT CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Dough: Combine flour, salt, and butter in food processor, run until it becomes a coarse meal. Add all the water and pulse until it forms a dough. Allow to rest for 1/2 hour.
• Filling: In a saute pan on medium, heat olive oil and saute onion, garlic, and habanero. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, making a rough circle about 1/8-inch thick. With a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut circles.
• Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling into the center of each circle. Moisten the exposed dough with a finger dipped in water. Fold the empanada in half, press the firmly together, sealing with a fork around the edge. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with Mango Chutney.
• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Add cornstarch if desired to thicken.

"NOW AND LATER" VEGETARIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a pot, cover carrots with water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat.
• Simmer 10 minutes or until just tender.
• While simmering carrots, pour contents of can of tomatoes into a bowl and squish into little pieces with your hands.
• Wash hands.
• Blend chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne into tomatoes.
• Take the 2 Tbs of flour and blend with 1/4 cup cold water in a small cup.
• Pour this into tomato mixture and stir to blend.
• Drain carrots, and cut into 3/4 in pieces.
• Put both aside for now.
• Melt butter on medium heat in a large fring pan.
• Add onion, mushrooms, zucchini, celery, green pepper, and garlic and saute.
• Stir continuously until onion is limp.
• Stir tomato mixture into frying pan and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then uncover and (stirring constantly) cook for about 5 minutes over med-high heat until liquid has evaporated.
• Stir in carrots and cheese.
• Salt to taste.
• When cheese has melted put pan in refrigerator to quickly cool vegetables.
• Stir now and then to help cool faster.
• Now, begin empanada crust.
• Resift flour with baking powder in a bowl.
• Quickly cut butter and shortening into bowl until it looks like a coarse meal.
• Make a well in the center.
• Add soy sauce and cold water together.
• Stir vigorously with a fork until dough follows the fork around bowl (about 30-40 seconds).
• Personal observation: The dough seems rather"frothy" at this point.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about 10 folds (or 30 seconds) to remove stickyness.
• Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.
• Make into a ball and roll into an 8 inch circle.
• Spoon about 3/4 cup vegetable filling onto center of circle.
• Moisten edges of circle with water and bring together at top, pinching and fluting edges.
• Note: The original instuctions say to make a sealed semi-circle.
• Mine looked like balls of dough and turned out fine.
• Lift empanada onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Repeat until done.
• If you fill more than one cookie sheet put the full one in the refrigerator.
• When done, prick the top of each empanada with a fork and brush with egg and water mixture.
• If you are going to cook some of them right away, pre-heat oven to 400 and cook 25 to 30 minutes (until golden brown) on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Take the ones for later and freeze uncovered on cookie sheet overnight.
• When frozen solid wrap in foil or put in freezer bags.
• Label with instructions: Bake uncovered in pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• Let cool some before serving.

CHAVRIE CRAB EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Filling: In a sauté pan on medium, heat olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, jalapeño, and red pepper. Set aside to chill.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Mix sautéed vegetables with the crabmeat mixture and place in the refrigerator.
• Lay thawed pie dough on a lightly floured flat surface cut 3 inch circle.
• To assemble, spoon about 1/2 to 3/4 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each empanada dough rounds.
• Fold over to form a half-moon pie shape and crimp the edges to seal.
• Place finished empanadas in the refrigerator on sheet tray. Fry in 3 inches of vegetable oil until golden brown or for a healthier version, bake in the oven.

SHERRIED MUSHROOM EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large heavy skillet cook onions in butter stirring occasionally, until softened.
• Stir in mushrooms, and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mixture begins to brown.
• Add ham and Sherry and cook stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated.
• In a bowl, stir together mushroom mixture, parsley and bread crumbs.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste and cool uncovered.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out each pastry sheet into a 14" x 10" rectangle. Halve rectangle lengthwise with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Place two of the halves on a cookie sheet.
• Spoon half the mixture on each half sheet of pastry, spreading evenly, but leaving about 1 inch around all edges.
• Brush edges with egg wash.
• Place the other halves on top, pressing down edges and crimp all around with a fork and cut several slits in top.
• Brush with remaining egg wash.
• Place in the middle rack of oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees F, bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
• Empanadas may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely on a rack, and chilled, wrapped in foil. Reheat uncovered, in a preheated 375 degree F oven about 6 minutes.
• Cut with serrated knife into 3/4" slices.