You Really Oughtta, Empanada!!!

OK, technically I am a day ahead, but I wanted to post this so it is seen on April 8th since it's National Empanada day. So this evening I made a bunch of Chipotle Chicken Empanadas. Oh yeah baby!! All kinds of spicy chicken goodness wrapped in a deep fried envelope of golden brown deliciousness.

The dough was the tricky part, I have seen yeast raised empanada skins, baking powder based skins, simple pâte brisée skins and even Puff Pastry skins. I decided to check on what Martha was doing on her web site (sometimes ya just gotta defer to Martha). She was using a hybrid corn flour pastry. That seemed like a good idea to me. So I ran with it.

The filling, well the filling is simply a modified version of the Chipotle Pulled Chicken that I make. I removed the can of tomatoes and the chicken stock so the filling would be drier. Then I just added cheese. I would have preferred Queso Asadero, but I could not find it. So I opted for 12 oz of Queso Enchilado instead.

Chipotle Chicken Empanadas

Chipotle Chicken Filling:
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Tenders
1 small Onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, Crushed
4 springs of Cilantro
2 tsp Salt
the Juice of 1 lime
Sauce:
3 cloved of garlic; minced
1/2 can of Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce
3 TB Tomato Paste (I use the kind in the tube)
7 oz Tomato Sauce
Juice of 1 lime (If using Mexican/Key lime, use 3 limes)
1 small can Diced Green Chilies
12 oz Queso Enchilado or Asadero, shredded

In stockpot, bring chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime and salt to boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Remove Chicken and set aside to cool for 10 minutes; discard onion, garlic and coriander.

I used a new method for shedding this time, suggested by one of my BakeSpace buddies.
Place the chicken in the bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the chicken into submission.

This was the coolest thing ever, normally it would have taken me 1/2 hour to shred all the chicken, the Kitchen Aid did it in 2 minutes.

WOW!!
In blender, puree the Chipotles in adobo, Garlic, Lime Juice, Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste.
Add to the pulled chicken and mix thoroughly along with the green chilies.

Stir in 3 cups of Shredded Asadero or Enchilado

Set aside and make Pastry

Corn Pastry:
3 cups AP Flour, plus more for work surface
1 1/4 cup + 2 TB Masa Harina or Corn Flour
1 TB sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
4 1/2 TB Unsalted Butter
3 large egg yolks
3/4 - 1 1/4 cup water

Whisk flours, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
Cut butter into small slices and work into the batter

until it begins to hold together when compressed.

Add egg yolks and mix with a fork.
Slowly add water, beginning with 3/4 of a cup, you may not need it all, it will depend on the humidity in your kitchen.

Knead until a soft dough is formed, then wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in 1/2

Roll out and cut 3 1/2 inch circles.

Stack them and cover to keep the pastry from drying out.

Preheat Deep fryer to 350 degrees
Place 1/2 TB in the center of the pastry circle.

Brush with a little water, fold and crimp with a fork.

Drop in to Hot oil for about 90 seconds, until Golden Brown and Delicious.

Drain on paper towels

and eat as soon as they are cool enough that you will not burn your fingers.

Mangia!
~~

Food Forward - Classic Swiss Fondue

I still had 4 oz of Gruyere left over from making the tart last night, and since I happened to have some Emmental as well... and it is Friday before a three day weekend, I decided to splurge a little and give in to the cheese. Although I did decided to forgo using a whole loaf of "day old bread" and opt for roasted vegetables as well as a little bread.
Fondue is surprisingly easy, but it is A LOT of cheese.

And I mean A LOT of Cheese... However, I only made a half batch this time, since it was only me.
As far as the dip-ables go, I simply placed all my vegetables on a baking sheet, sprayed them with olive oil and roasted them for about 20 minutes in a 300 degree oven while I made my fondue.

The recipe is so easy, the trick is adding the shredded cheese very slowly and waiting until it is completely melted before adding any more.

1 Clove of Garlic
8 oz Dry White Wine
1 tsp Lemon Juice
8 oz of Grated Gruyere
8 oz of Grated Emmental (You can use Racelette though)
1 1/2 Tsp Corn Flour
1/4 tsp Curry Powder
1 TB Kirsch (Cherry Liquor)

Rub the inside of your fondue pot(mine is enameled cast iron) with the clove of Garlic.
Pour in the wine and lemon juice and heat gently until it just begins to bubble.
Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the grated cheeses a little at a time.
Continue heating until the cheese melts and is smooth (This does take awhile)
In a small bowl, blend corn flour, curry powder and kirsch, then stir into the cheese mixture and continue cooking for another 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
Do not allow the fondue to boil at this point.
Move fondue pot from the stove to your burner stand and keep warm.

The best part is at the end when all that is left in the Caquelon (fondue pot) is whats called Grossmutter in German or La Religieuse in French. The thin crust of fried cheese in the bottom.
Deliciousness!

Mangia!!
~~