Lisas Panamanian Empanadas De Carne Recipes

LISA'S BEEF EMPANADAS FROM PANAMA

Steps:

• Add olive oil in a large pan or caserola. Start browning the ground beef on medium high heat.
• Once the ground beef is broken down and browned, add the chopped onion and peppers. When the onions are cooked, add garlic. Stir and saute for 1 or 2 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and stir. Brown the beef into the tomato paste for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Make sure to keep stirring so it doesn't stick.
• Add the green onions and chopped olives. Stir together.
• Add all of the spices: oregano, thyme, paprika, ground annatto, ground cumin and sazón. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
• Slowly add the water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring gently.
• Cook on low for about 5 minutes, until the water evaporates into the beef mixture.
• Take the pan off the heat and let cool for about a hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Lay all the dough leaves on your work surface, two or three inches apart. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef filling in the middle of each leaf. Fold each in half and press the sides down with a fork, leaving the indentation marks. Then, with your fork, puncture one set of 4 little holes on the top so the empanadas can air out while baking.
• Line up the stuffed empanadas on your baking sheet or baking pan. Brush each lightly with egg so they don't dry up.
• Place the empanadas in an oven preheated to 375° for 18 to 20 minutes. They will emerge golden-brown and steaming hot. Enjoy!

LISA'S PANAMANIAN EMPANADAS DE CARNE

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine flour and salt, pulse for a second. Add cubed cold butter, pulse until the dough is "pea" size.
• Mix the egg yolks and water together in a bowl, then add to the flour butter and pulse for a few more seconds.
• Divide dough in two parts, then wrap each dough in plastic wrap.
• Don't overwork the dough with your hands.
• Refrigerate while the filling is cooked and cooled.
• On medium-heat, heat oil in skillet, add onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.
• Remove cooked beef to a bowl, cover and cool completely.
• Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into a round-shape size, to the width of your choice. (Lisa makes her about 5 inches across.)
• Add enough cooled beef to the center of the dough and fold in half.
• Press and seal the edges tightly closed with the tines of a fork.
• Brush the empanadas with egg wash.
• Bake in a 375° preheated oven for about 18 minutes until they are golden brown.
• Depending on the width of your dough rounds, this batch makes 24 to 36 empanadas.

EMPANADAS DE CARNE (MEAT EMPANADAS)

Steps:

• To make the pastry: In a large bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, curry, salt and turmeric. Cut in the butter and shortening until the mix resembles fine crumbs. Pour water in and make a soft dough. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in wax paper. Chill for 1 hour.
• To make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the water with the breadcrumbs and let it sit while you prepare everything else. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until soft. Place in a small bowl and set aside. Increase the heat to high. In the same pan, cook the beef until it is no longer pink. Drain the fat and stir in the onion mix, curry, salt, thyme, black and cayenne peppers. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Assembly: Divide pastry in half and roll 2 long sausage shapes. Slice each roll crosswise into roughly 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a 6" circle. Spoon some filling into the circle. Wet the edges of the circle with a little water and fold in half, making sure the edges meet. Trim into a neat half moon shape and imprint the edges with fork prongs.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 28 minutes or until the pastry is lightly brown.

PANAMANIAN BEEF EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Filling:.
• Place oil in skillet and brown the beef, then drain the grease.
• Add rest of ingredients, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• If needed, add a little bit of flour to thicken the consistency of the filling. Salt and pepper to taste.
• For Crust:.
• Roll out on a lightly floured board-1/8th inch thick. Cut with cookie cutter or glass for appetizer sized empanadas. Use a small plate for luncheon size empanadas.
• On each round, put about 1/2 teaspoon filling. Fold over and flute edges with fork. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake at 400 degrees until the crust is golden brown.
• You can also deep fry these in a deep fryer or in a deep skillet with enough oil to cover them. that's the way they eat them there, but baking is lower fat! But fried is sooo good! If frying don't brush the tops with egg!
• Enjoy!

LITTLE MEAT EMPANADAS: EMPANADILLAS DE CARNE

Steps:

• The beef should be thawed, if frozen, set aside. In a large saute pan, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper and saute. When they're soft, add the oregano, tomato sauce, raisins, and chopped olives. This should be at medium heat from now on. Add the ground beef.
• Pour the wine over the beef mixture and cover to cook through. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Once its almost cooked, uncover, and let dry up to a juicy but dry look to it.
• Never use if it is runny. That's the trick.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and the salt. Pour this into a large bowl. Pour in the rest of the ingredients. Work this with a fork, trying to bring together all the ingredients but never beating or mixing. Once it?s all "together" and not sticky...you're ready to make Empanadillas.
• ASSEMBLING THE EMPANADILLAS: Prepare your table by spreading some flour to keep the mixture from sticking. You will need a roller, a knife and a fork. Your filling should be at hand. Take a small amount of the flour mixture (a ball that can fit in your hand) and you roll it out in the shape of a plate to a thickness of about 1/8-inch.
• Take a spoonful of the filling and place it in the middle half of the pastry and fold the top over the filling to look like a half moon. Seal the inside of the pastry by wetting your fingers with water and rubbing the border of the half moon. Take a knife and cut a perfect pastry half-moon. Now take the fork and press down the borders of the circular shape to seal. Fry the half moon in hot oil.

LISA'S FAVORITE CARNE ASADA MARINADE

Steps:

• Combine the orange, lemon, and lime juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl along with the garlic, soy sauce, chipotle pepper, chili power, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cilantro. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until marinade is well combined. Remove one cup of the marinade and place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for use after the meat is cooked.
• Place the flank steak between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the steak with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/4 inch. After pounding, poke steak all over with a fork. Add the meat to the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the steak from the marinade and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Discard used marinade. Remove meat from heat and slice across the grain.
• Pour the one cup of reserved, unused marinade over the hot meat and serve immediately.