Spiced Cheese Empanadas

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Empanadas are filled pies or turnovers that are found in one form or another around the world. This recipe is based on one from Argentina and is tasty, yet simple to prepare.

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese

  • 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

  • 4 green onions, chopped including the greens

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • ½ teaspoon paprika

  • ½ teaspoon ají chile powder or cayenne

  • Salt and ground white pepper

Dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2/3 cup vegetable shortening

  • 1 egg

  • Or substitute 1 package prepared, unbaked pie crusts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine all the filling ingredients and chill slightly.

To make the crust: in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or 2 forks. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal.

Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and lightly toss with a fork to incorporate. Add only enough water so that the dough will hold together and can be gathered into a ball.

Separate the egg into small bowls and lightly beat the white. Beat the yolk with 1 tablespoon of water.

Gently roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness and cut circles 2 to 2 ½-inches in diameter. Place a spoonful of the filling off-center on a circle. Brush the edges with the egg white, fold over and crimp the edges to seal.

Note: If using ready-made pie crusts, don’t roll the pastry before cutting.

Brush the empanadas with the egg yolk, place on a lightly oiled baking pan, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.

Remove and cool on a rack before serving.

Crispy Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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These Vietnamese rolls resemble Chinese egg rolls, but use rice paper instead of won ton wrappers, which produces a much more delicate product. Handling rice paper for the wrapping is easy if you use only a couple of sheets at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp towel to keep them moist. These rolls can be prepared in advance: reheat in a 350 degree oven until crisp, about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

 For the Spring Rolls:

  • 2 ounces cellophane noodles

  • 3 dried Chinese mushrooms

  • 8 ounces shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • ½ cup shredded carrots

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 4 green onions, chopped

  • 3 serrano chiles, stems removed, minced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce, either nuoc mam or nam pla

  • 24 sheets rice paper (8 inches in diameter)

  • Vegetable oil for frying, peanut preferred

For the Peanut Sauce:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons peanut oil

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce, either nuoc mam or nam pla

  • 2 teaspoons Asian chili paste

  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

  • 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

  • ½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

For the Spring Rolls:

n separate bowls, soak the noodles and mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut the noodles into 1-inch lengths and finely mince the mushrooms.

For the filling, combine the rest of the spring roll ingredients and mix well.

Place 4 to 6 cups of hot water in a large bowl. Dip the rice paper, one sheet at a time, in the hot water and then place on a damp dish towel to soften. It only takes 10 to 15 seconds to become workable.

To assemble: Fold over 1/3 of the rice paper. Place a few tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the folded portion. Fold the left side over to enclose the filling, then fold over the right side. Roll up to enclose the filling completely.

Pour the oil in a pan to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 325 degrees. Fry the spring rolls, a couple at a time, for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove and drain.

Serve with the peanut sauce for dipping.

 

For the Peanut Sauce:

To make the sauce: sauté the garlic in the oil until browned. Add the tomato, fish sauce, and chili paste and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Thin with water or chicken broth if necessary. 

Caribbean Roti with Potato Curry

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‘Rotis are traditional fare throughout the Caribbean and have been called a West Indian version of a burrito. The bread wrapper is East Indian in origin and always contains something curried. ‘

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 cup water

Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger

  • 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, minced

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 3 tablespoons curry powder

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 cups potato, cooked, peeled, and diced

  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste dissolved in 1/4 cup water (optional)

  • 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

To make dough for the rotis: sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually stir in the oil and enough water to form a ball. Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until soft. Gather into a ball, cover and let rise for 15 minutes.

To make the filling: sauté the ginger and chile in the oil for a couple of minutes. Add the onions, garlic, spices and the salt and pepper, then sauté until the onions are soft. Add the potatoes, tamarind, garbanzo beans, and 2 cups of water. Simmer for 15 minutes or until very soft but not mushy.

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Flatten each and roll out into a circle, 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet until very hot, or until a drop of water will sizzle. Reduce the heat, place the rotis in the pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Turn and brown the other side. Remove and cover with a towel until ready to serve.

To serve, place about a cup of the filling in the center of a roti. Fold over the sides and fold up the ends, as you would with a burrito. Serve accompanied with a chutney and/or your favorite hot sauce.

Stir-Fry Walnut Asparagus

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This elegant vegetable is a great accompaniment to any meal–not only with Chinese foods. The dish must be prepared with fresh asparagus, never frozen. If asparagus is out of season substitute green beans or broccoli.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh asparagus, cut in 1 ½½ to 2-inch pieces

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, peanut preferred

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chile

  • 1 heaping tablespoon hot hoison sauce (available in Asian markets)

  • 1/4 cup rice wine

  • ½ teaspoon sugar

  • ½ teaspoon vinegar

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

In a large kettle or saucepan, heat a quart of water until boiling, blanch the asparagus 10 to 20 seconds. Remove and immediately immerse the asparagus in ice water to stop the cooking process.

In a wok or heavy skillet heat the oil, add the asparagus and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the chile, hoison sauce, wine, sugar and vinegar. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until the asparagus is tender but still crisp.

To serve, place the asparagus in a serving bowl or on a platter and garnish with the walnuts.

Chile Orange oil

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Note: This recipe requires advance preparation

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peanut oil

  • 6 to 8 japones chiles, or substitute other small dried red chiles

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • Zest of 2 oranges, finely minced

  • 1 tablespoon Chinese black bean paste (available in Asian markets)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skilled until a chile will “sputter” when dropped in the oil. Combine all the remaining ingredients, add to the oil, and simmer for 5 minutes, being very careful not to let any ingredients burn.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to steep overnight. Strain the oil before using.