Beef Chile Empanadas

Food Service Search Staff

INGREDIENTS: Dough
3 ½ cups pastry flour
3/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsps. sweet butter
8 Tbsps. vegetable shortening
3/4 cup ice water

Filling
1 lb. fabricated certified Angus beef bottom sirloin butt flap, finely diced
3 each Serrano chiles, cleaned, seeded, membrane removed, finely minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbsps. prepared teriyaki lite

Marinade
4 each garlic cloves, minced
3 oz. onion, finely diced
1 tsp. cumin powder
3 Tbsps. olive oil
12 stuffed green olives, chopped
2 0z. Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced 2 Tbsps. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsps. lemon grass, finely minced
White cracked pepper, to tasteDIRECTIONS:1. For dough: Sift flour with salt. Crumble butter into flour, mixing to resemble a course meal. Add the shortening and combine.

2. Slowly add ice water and gently mix dough with your hand or fork until dough mixture comes together. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic. Place in refrigerator to rest for three hours prior to use.

3. For filling: In a large mixing bowl, place the beef, add chiles, ginger, teriyaki, garlic, onion and cumin powder. Combine thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap and hold in the refrigerator, marinating at least one hour.

4. In a large rondeau, heat olive oil, sauté meat mixture quickly, until evenly browned, stirring frequently. Add olives and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning with parsley, lemon grass and cracked pepper. Remove mixture from the heat and cool.

5. To assemble: Roll out dough evenly to approximately 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles with cutter of approximately 3-4 inch diameter.

6. Spoon equal amount of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold to form a half moon. Seal empanadas gently with the tines of a fork.

7. To finish: Place on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until evenly browned. Serve with a poblano sauce made up of one pound roasted plum tomatoes, 7 oz. roasted poblano peppers and 3/4 oz. roasted garlic, puréed together. Stir in 5 cups mayonnaise, 4 Tbsps. chives, ½ tsp each of salt and pepper, 4 tsps. fresh snipped oregano, 10 drops of hot sauce and 1/3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Calories 150 (50% from fat ); Fat 8g (sat. 3g); Protein 6g; Carbohydrates 11g; Sodium 135mg; Cholesterol 20mg; Fiber 0g
*analysis does not include sauce
SERVINGS:30 empanadasFrom:Recipe from the Certified Angus Beef Program
PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF