Colombian Empanadas Recipe Baked

COLOMBIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Prepare the vegetables:.Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic, chopped tomato, chopped green onions, chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper, chopped cilantro leaves, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 package Sazón Goya con azafran. Sautee over medium heat, stirring until onion is very soft (about 12-15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. When done remove all contents from pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
• Prepare steak and potatoes:.In the large stock pot (or can use a slow cooker) add 1 whole head of garlic (smashed), 1 whole onion peeled and cut in half, 1 whole tomato cut in half,(sounds weird but is necessary for the broth) 3 beef bouillon cubes, flank steak and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer the steak until very tender (about an hour). Peel and quarter potatoes and add to the pot, adding more water if necessary to cover the potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are very tender (about 25 minutes). Remove pot from heat and let the meat and potatoes cool in the broth.
• Remove the meat from the broth and slice into 1" cubes, then put cut up steak into a food processor and pulse it until it looks like ground beef *DO NOT OVER PROCESS, YOU DO NOT WANT TO MAKE BABY FOOD OUT OF THE STEAK*.
• Remove potatoes from the broth and set aside in a separate bowl, strain the broth and reserve it.
• Add the potatoes, the meat and vegetables into the same bowl. Add a little of the beef broth to the mixture and mix well, mashing the potatoes in the process.
• Prepare the dough:.Place 3 cups yellow masarepa (pre-cooked cornmeal) into a large bowl, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and salt and pepper to taste, incorporate the dry ingredients well before adding the liquid.
• Combine 1 cup of reserved broth, 2 ¼ cups of hot water and 1 tablespoon of softened butter.
• Slowly add the cornmeal to the water and stir with a big spoon. When all of the corn meal has been added, work the dough with your hands until it becomes soft. Let rest for 20 minutes.
• Making the empanadas:.To make the empanadas, put a small ball of dough (about the size of a golf ball) in the center of a tortilla press covered with plastic and press to flatten it. You can also put the small ball of dough between two pieces of plastic and flatten it with a small saucepan.
• Add a tablespoon or so of the filling. Fold the circle of dough in half to form a half moon.
• Cut off the edge of the half moon with a cup or drinking glass. This will shape your empanada and seal it at the same time. Another way to make them is pressing the edge with your fingers and folding the extra dough inwards, this will prevent the filling from coming out during frying.
• you can fry them in a deep frier at 350ºF. You can also fry them on the stove at medium high temperature. Fry the empanadas for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Then put them on a paper towels to drain them.
• *Note: You can shape the empanadas a day ahead, and chill them until you are ready to fry. Once empanadas are cooked, keep them warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

AJI (COLOMBIAN SALSA)

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour so all the flavors develop before serving.

COLOMBIAN BEEF AND POTATO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Prepare the filling: Place potato cubes in a medium saucepan, cover with water and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until cubes are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, using a flat palm, press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate the tomato until you're left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin, then transfer the tomato and any juices to a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat vegetable oil until shimmering. Add beef or pork, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the pieces are quite small and completely cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion, scallion, paprika, bouillon (if using), and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Immediately add the grated tomato and its juices, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is quite dry, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer meat mixture to the bowl with potatoes and stir together with a fork, letting the potato get roughly mashed up. (The filling should form cohesive balls when gently packed.) Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, bouillon and pepper to taste. Allow to cool completely. Spreading it out on a large plate or tray and placing it in the fridge will speed up this process.
• Assemble the empanadas: Divide masa into 24 golf-ball-size balls. Working one ball at a time, place inside a plastic zip-top bag and press down with the bottom of a skillet to form a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Carefully remove from the bag and transfer to a clean cutting board or tray. Repeat with remaining dough balls, laying them out side by side. Cover the disks with a clean, lightly damp kitchen towel.
• Working one empanada at a time, place about 2 teaspoons of meat mixture in the center of the disk. Lift the front and back edges and seal them at the top by gently pushing them together. Seal the empanada, working from the center outward until both ends are completely sealed. Gently curve the empanada to form a slight crescent with the sealed edge at the top. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
• In a large Dutch oven or wok over high, heat 2 quarts oil until it registers 375 degrees on an instant-read or frying thermometer. Using a metal spider or slotted spoon, lower empanadas into the hot oil one at a time. You should be able to cook about six empanadas per batch. Cook empanadas, adjusting heat to maintain an oil temperature of 325 to 375 degrees, until empanadas are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or metal spider, transfer empanadas to a paper-towel-lined plate or bowl and immediately season with salt.
• Serve empanadas hot, with a bowl of ají and a spoon to drizzle the sauce over the empanadas and into them as you eat.