Mushroom and Butternut Squash Empanadas - Mexican (Veracruz)

[Guest guest]

@@@@@

Mushroom and Butternut Squash Empanadas - Mexican (Veracruz)

For empanada filling:

1 cup diced (1/4-inch) butternut squash

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

6 small garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 (2- to 3-inch) fresh jalapeño chiles, seeds and ribs discarded and

chiles finely chopped

1 lb fresh exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles, porcini, or

hedgehogs (all one kind, not a mixture), trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup broth

For sauce:

1 dried pasilla de Oaxaca chile*

3 garlic cloves, left unpeeled

1 lb fresh tomatillos, husks discarded and tomatillos rinsed and

quartered

1/4 cup finely chopped white onion

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

For empanada crust:

1/3 Café Azul's pastry dough (1 lb)

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

 

 

 

 

 

Make empanada filling:

Cook squash in a small saucepan of boiling salted water until just

tender, about 2 minutes, then drain in a sieve.

Cook onion and garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately

low heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add

jalapeños and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, salt, and

broth and simmer, covered, until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated,

about 3 minutes, then stir in squash and salt to taste. Cool filling

completely.

 

Make sauce:

Heat a dry griddle or heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over

moderately low heat until hot, then toast pasilla de Oaxaca chile,

pressing down with tongs, 15 to 20 seconds on each side. Halve chile

lengthwise and discard stem, ribs, and seeds.

 

Heat griddle over moderately high heat until hot, then toast garlic

until lightly blackened, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Cool garlic

slightly and peel.

 

Simmer tomatillos, onion, water, chile, garlic, and salt in a large

saucepan, covered, until tomatillos are very tender, about 20 minutes,

and cool slightly. Remove 1 chile half and reserve, then purée sauce

in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids),

adding as much of reserved chile half as necessary to achieve desired

spiciness. Return sauce to pan and season with salt.

 

Form and bake empanadas:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

 

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (2 ounces each) and form each into a

disk. Roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface into a 6- to 7-

inch round (1/8 inch thick). Spoon about 1/3 cup filling onto center

and brush edge of pastry lightly with egg wash. Fold dough in half to

form a half-moon, enclosing filling, and press edges together to seal.

Crimp edge decoratively and transfer empanada with a spatula to a

large baking sheet. Make 7 more empanadas in same manner.

 

Lightly brush empanadas all over with some of remaining egg wash and

sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Bake in middle of oven until

golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

 

While empanadas are baking, reheat sauce. Cut each empanada in half

with a serrated knife and serve with about 3 tablespoons sauce spooned

around it.

 

Makes 8 first-course servings.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr (includes making dough)

 

Cooks' note:

• If your sea salt is very coarse, lightly crush it using a mortar and

pestle or the back of a large heavy knife.

 

* Available at Latino markets and Kitchen/Market (888-468-4433).

 

Source: Gourmet, October 2002, Gourmet Entertains

Author: Chef Claire Archibald, Cafe Azul, Portland, OR

Formatted by Chupa Babi in MC: 04.25.03

 

When buying the dried chile for this recipe, be aware that a pasilla

de Oaxaca is not the same as a regular pasilla chile. The former is

smoked and has a very distinct flavor.

 

-----

@@@@@

Cafe Azul's Pastry Dough

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

4 sticks (2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

About 3/4 cup ice water

 

 

 

 

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your

fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse

meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

Beat egg with vinegar in a 1-cup measure using a fork, then add enough

ice water to measure 1 cup total. Add to flour mixture, stirring with

fork until incorporated.

 

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently with

heel of your hand just enough to bring dough together. Roll out or pat

into a 15- by 9-inch rectangle. Arrange dough with short side nearest

you, then fold into thirds like a letter to form a roughly 5- by 9-

inch rectangle. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour

and up to 6 (do not chill longer or dough will discolor).

 

Makes about 3 lb (enough for 24 empanadas).

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hours

 

Gourmet, October 2002, Gourmet Entertains

Author: Chef Claire Archibald, Cafe Azul, Portland, OR

Formatted by Chupa Babi in MC: 04.25.03

 

This recipe makes much more dough than is needed for the Mushroom and

Butternut Squash Empanadas with Smoked Chile and Tomatillo Sauce, but

it freezes beautifully, wrapped well in plastic wrap and sealed in a

plastic freezer bag. (Defrost the dough in the refrigerator for 6 to 8

hours before using.) At Café Azul, Archibald also uses this pastry for

pies and tarts.

 

-----