Best Pulled Pork Empanadas With Apple Chimichurri Recipes

PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• To make the filling: Place pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. While pork is cooking, prepare dough.
• To make the dough: Sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening to the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and 1/2 cup milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• After the pork has simmered for 1 1/2 hours, remove from liquid. Place pork in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until meat shreds easily with fork. Remove from oven (keep oven turned on) and shred into small pieces. Add salsa to shredded pork.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• On lightly floured surface, flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to make a 5-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk. Fold dough over filling. Pinch edges together. Crimp with fork to seal.
• Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining empanada dough. Leftover filling can be frozen or used in tacos, tamales, or burritos.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove to rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

INSTANT POT PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For Abuela Chabe's Seasoning: Stir together the annatto (if using), cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and curry powder in a small bowl (see Cook's Note).
• For the empanadas: Put the chiles de arbol, garlic and 1 cup water in a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker and set to high saute (see Cook's Note). Stir 2 tablespoons salt into Abuela Chabe's Seasoning, then roll the pork into the mixture, packing it into all the crevices. Set the Instant Pot® trivet in the bottom of the multi-cooker and place the pork on top. Set to pressure cook on high for 1 hour. After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release and wait until the natural release cycle is complete, about 10 minutes. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cut against the grain into 1/2-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a medium bowl. Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot® and transfer the garlic cloves to the bowl with the pork. Discard the chiles and set the liquid aside. Shred the pork and garlic, then add 3/4 cup of the liquid and stir to combine. Taste, adding more liquid if necessary. Let the pulled pork cool to room temperature.
• Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Brush the bottom half edge of an empanada disc with beaten egg, then place 1/4 cup pulled pork in the center. Bring together the bottom and top edges of the disc to form a half moon shape, then place the empanada on a flat surface. Use a fork to press and seal the edges closed, then brush the top with beaten egg. Repeat with the remaining empanada discs and pulled pork and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the empanadas are dark golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes.
• For the guasacaca: Put the vinegar, garlic, jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, onions, sugar and a pinch of salt in a blender and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or sugar, if necessary. The guasacaca can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes 1 3/4 cups (see Cook's Note).
• Serve the empanadas with the guasacaca if desired.

GRILLED TENDERLOIN CHURRASCO WITH 3-HERB CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• For the beef: Put the tenderloin in a medium bowl and add the thyme, salt, garlic, and pepper. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat the grill (gas or charcoal is fine) to 500 degrees F.
• Once hot, put the tenderloin on the grill and cook for 5 to 8 minutes per side. Stick in a Dutch oven and add the veggie stock. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
• For the chimichurri sauce: Add the tarragon, oregano, sage, olive oil, lemon juice, roasted garlic, and sea salt into a blender and blend until completely mixed. Spoon sauce over the tenderloin and serve.

APPLE EMPANADAS WITH ALMOND PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss. Continue cooking the apples, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down easily when pressed with a fork, an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash them with a fork while they are still warm, it should look like a chunky applesauce. Allow the apples to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fold 1/4 cup of the Almond Pastry Cream into the cooled apples and set aside.
• On a floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a large (4 1/2-inch) circular biscuit cutter (or cookie cutter) cut 4 large circles per sheet, 8 all together.
• On the bottom half of each of the rounds, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the apple mixture. Brush the edges of each circle with some egg wash. Fold the pastry dough over the filling, seal the edges with your fingers and then crimp them with the tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining pastry dough and filling. When all the pies are assembled, vent each one with 2 small slits, using a paring knife, on the top of each pie. Brush each one with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the pies until they have puffed and are golden brown, about 20 minutes. When the pies come out of the oven, spoon more of the Almond Pastry Cream over them and serve.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the whole milk, sugar, almond paste and salt. Whisk over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and cornstarch. Whisk until combined and the mixture is creamy and thick. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and slowly add 1/4 cup of the milk liquid to the eggs, whisking constantly. Add the now-tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and return the milk to a simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until it is fully incorporated. If desired, strain the pastry cream through a sieve. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the cream to cool completely in the refrigerator until cold and set, at least 2 hours.