Lara Ritchie | Nothing To It! Culinary Center
Ingredients
Chorizo Empanadas (20 ct.)
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Medium yellow onion, minced
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 8 oz. chorizo sausage, skin removed
- 1/4 Fennel bulb, finely chopped
- Large pinch of saffron threads
- 3/4 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green olives with pimiento
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 10 oz. package frozen puff pastry sheets, defrosted
- 1 eggs, whisked
Chorizo Croquettes (30 ct.)
- 2 Large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1Ó pieces
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Small onion, minced
- 1/4 Cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground
- black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz. Cooked chorizo, finely chopped
- 4 oz. white cheddar, grated
- 1/4 Cup finely chopped chives
- 1 Cup flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- Canola oil, for frying
Chorizo Stuffed Mini Peppers (30 ct.)
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1/2 cup Small diced onions
- 4 oz. Cooked chorizo, chopped
- 1/3 cup Small diced roasted red peppers
- 1/3 cup Golden raisins
- 1/3 cup Toasted pine nuts
- 1.5 oz Manchego cheese, small dice
- 15 ea. Mini sweet peppers, cut in half
- 1 Cup flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Cups panko bread crumbs
- Canola oil, for frying
Instructions
Chorizo Empanadas
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and cook until soft. Then, add the green pepper and fennel and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Increase the heat to medium and add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is no longer pink and cooked through. Add the saffron, tomatoes, olives to the meat mixture and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the moisture is gone, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll the puff pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles. Place a tablespoon of the
filling to the side of the center of each circle. Combine the whisked egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the edges of half the circle with the egg wash. Fold the circle over, enclosing the filling, and seal the edges by lightly pressing down with the tines of a fork. Place the empanadas on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Chorizo Croquettes
- Boil potatoes in a 4-qt. pot of salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl; set aside. Add 1 tbsp. butter to the pot, and melt over medium-high heat. Add onion;
cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add to potatoes along with remaining butter, cream, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Fold in ham, cheese, and chives; chill for 20 minutes. Using flour-dusted hands, form 2 tbsp. chilled ham mixture into a 3 in.-long oval and flatten the ends; dredge in flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining mixture, flour, eggs, and bread crumbs; transfer to a plate and freeze for 15 minutes. - Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan to 375F. Working in batches, fry croquettes, turning as needed, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.
Chorizo Stuffed Mini Peppers
- In a small saut pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring continually until golden brown. Remove the onions from the pan and cool.
- In a medium bowl, add the onions, peppers, chorizo, roasted red peppers, olden raisins, pine nuts, and cheese. Toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Stuff each pepper with the chorizo mixture and place them on a baking sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.