Red Chile Beef Empanadas

[Jump right to the recipes: New Twists on Old Favorites, An Elegant Super Bowl, or Red Chile Beef Empanadas]

Football is all about fandom, and half the fun of being a fan is sharing your obsession for the sport with other similarly obsessed folk. For many years I was torn between my love of the sport and my love of the kitchen, often missing part of the big game because I was cooking. Of course I do have a TV within sight of my kitchen, but I’d miss key plays anyway. My solution to this conundrum is to create menus that include a collection of make-ahead dishes that, at the most, need to go into and come of the oven during the game. I do all of the heavy lifting days or hours before the party so I’m free to enjoy ever pass, tackle, fumble, and long run.

To help you with your super bowl planning I’ve put together a collection of make-ahead recipes that work well for me and in some cases my fellow food bloggers. I’d love to know what your favorite big game recipes are, so please share them with me in the comments.

New Twists on Old Favorites

I’m a big fan (no pun intended) of trying new recipes and techniques at my parties because, well, my friends make good guinea pigs. Even so, I’ve learned that while most people enjoy a guided excursion to new tastes, they also enjoy traditional favorites. As a happy medium between the new hotness and the old and comfortable, I try to update favorite recipes or put a new spin on them.

• Sriracha Chicken Wings from White On Rice Couple
  Make the sauce early in the day and then toss quickly with wings when they come out of the oven.
• Soft Pretzels from Big Black Dogs
  These are a great alternative to chips. Serve them with spicy mustard, ranch dressing, or your favorite fondue. You can make these ahead and warm them in the oven before serving.
• Pastry-Wrapped Sausages
  I serve these at most of my parties and they are always a hit. Dress them up with hand-made sausages with interesting flavors like chicken and apple or blueberry and pork. Use a special cheese like a bandaged cheddar or an aged gruyere for a more sophisticated flavor. You can prep these in the morning and pop them into the oven just before you’re ready to serve them.
• Red Chile Beef Empanadas
  Instead of a taco bar, serve up a collection of these little premade pies to make snacking out-of-hand easy for everyone. You can put just about anything you’d put into a taco into an empanada. I like red chile beef with nutty manchego, but you could go with a chicken and Monterey Jack filling or even ground beef and Colby. The possibilities are almost endless.

An Elegant Super Bowl

While it’s true that the Super Bowl is a casual and comfortable affair, if you have an opportunity to host a more refined party, you should – if nothing else just for the fun of it. This collection of recipes isn’t your typical football party fare, but it’s still completely accessible and easy to make.

• Savory Madeleins as made by Lisa from Lisa is Cooking
  Put out a few baskets of these savory treats along with some champagne for a truly refined snack table. Pair them with fruit and a cheese plate for an elegant offering. Make them the morning of the party so all you have to do is set them out before your guests arrive.
  
• Chive, Mascarpone, and Pine Nut Dip as also made by Lisa
  This dip is a refined version onion dip and would be lovely with toasted bread or even pita triangles. Make it the morning of the party so that the flavors have time to meld together.
  
• Tomato Tartlets
  I made these for my holiday party this year and they were a hit. The recipe features just a few ingredients so the flavor of each shines through. You can roast the tomatoes and make the crust several hours before the party so it comes together quickly just before you serve it.
  
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates
  These are one of my go-to appetizers for any party because they are so easy to make, so versatile, and yet so impressive to guest. Prep them the morning of your party and bake them off just before guests arrive.

Recipe: Red Chile Beef Empanadas

Adapted from Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Makes: 48 empanadas
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the beef

• 4 medium dried New Mexico Red chiles
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chopped canned chipotles in adobo (about 2 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 ½ tsp. salt; divided
• 1 tsp. freshly-ground pepper
• 3 lb. chuck roast, cut into 2 inch by 2 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• ¼ lb. thick-cut bacon, sliced in to ¼ inch pieces
• 2 1/3 c. beef broth
• 1 cinnamon stick

For the empanadas

• 3 boxes of pre-made pie crust or 3 recipes of homemade pie crust for six total crusts
• 24 oz. manchego cheese, grated

Instructions

For the beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wipe dust from dried chiles. Cut and discard the stems from the chiles. Shake the loose seeds from inside the chiles and discard. Tear the chiles into 2 inch pieces.
3. Place the chiles in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cover with the boiling water and place a heavy plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged in the water. Soak for20 minutes.
4. Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with 1/3 c of the soaking liquid. Reserve the remaining liquid.
5. Add the onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo, tomato paste, molasses, cumin seeds, cloves, and 1 tsp. salt to the blender with the chile and water. Puree until smooth.
6. Season the pot roast pieces evenly on all sides with remaining 1 ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
7. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers but doesn’t smoke.
8. Brown the pieces of chuck in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
9. Once all of the meat is browned, drain off the fat from the pot but don’t wipe clean. You want to keep the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
10. Return the pot to medium-high heat and cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon to the platter with the beef. Do not discard the bacon fat.
11. Stir the pureed chile mixture into the fat carefully, watching for splattering, and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Add the reserved chile soaking liquid, the beef broth, and the cinnamon stick to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
13. Add the reserved beef and bacon to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and move to the oven.
14. Cook for about 3 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
15. When the meat is done, remove the pieces of beef to clean platter or bowl. Use two forks to shred evenly.
16. Pour the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a fat separator (or a medium bowl if you don’t have a fat separator).
17. Return the liquid without the fat to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
18. Return the beef to the reduced liquid and toss to combine. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed.
19. Let cool before making empanadas.

For the empanadas

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll a sheet of pie dough large enough to cut out eight 3 ½ inch circles.
3. On the right side of each circle of dough place with a scant tablespoon of beef and top with a teaspoon or so of cheese.
4. Fold the left side over the right side to create a half-moon shape.
5. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of the empanada. Use a sharp knife to make three slits in the top of the empanada to allow steam to escape.
6. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, beef, and cheese.
7. Bake empanadas for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and flaky.

Recipe for Success

• You can make the empanadas up to 3 months ahead. Place formed empanadas on a single row on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until solid. Transfer the frozen empanadas to a zip top bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. On baking day, do not thaw the empanadas. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown.
• If you can’t find New Mexican red chiles, any other wide, flat dried red pepper will work.
• You can make the empanadas larger if they are the main dish on your menu. I like the smaller size for a buffet table or as an appetizer.
• Sour cream and guacamole are nice companions for the empanadas.
• You may have some of the beef filling left over depending on the size of your roast. The meat freezes beautifully and is great for taco filling or for making more empanadas later.

Nibbles before Dinner

Cheese plate
with fruit, nuts, olives and rustic bread

Main Course

Braised Short Ribs

Blue Cheese Polenta

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Dessert

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies
with Cabernet Chocolate Sauce

To Drink

Appetizers and Dessert: Fleuraison Blanc de Blancs

Main Course: Block 13 Cabernet Sauvignon

This menu was inspired by recipe from a recent cooking class I took with Paul Petersen from the Gage Hotel in Marathon, Tx. His original menu called for beef shanks in an Osso Bucco style braise, but I chose short ribs because they are smaller so each person can better control their protein destiny. Both cuts of meat are great for dinner parties because they are less than $6 per pound typically and lend themselves well to the long-cooking braise. I also created my own version of Paul’s blue cheese polenta that is a little lighter but still delivers on a great blue cheese taste. Unfortunately there are those in my world who don’t like polenta (I’ll cure them of this one day), so I also made mashed potatoes as an alternative to the polenta. You can of course make one or the other to simplify your menu .

Although the short ribs are slow-cooking, I was still able too put the meal together in a few hours on a Saturday after I’d been traveling for business for the better part of the week. If I can make this menu after 3 days on the road then anyone can. If I’d been home the night before the party, I would have done some of the work ahead of time so I’d have less to do on the day of the party. Either way, you can absolutely pull this menu off without getting started before noon on the day of the party, and that includes time to grocery shop and dress the table up as well as yourself. Over the years I’ve learned that a little time spent making a plan for even an intimate party for 6 makes me feel more comfortable that I know when I need to do what and that I haven’t forgotten anything. To that end, I’ve linked by planning worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007) at the bottom of the post to give you a head start on recreating this meal at home. If you can’t open the doc, give me a holler at natanya at io dot com and I’ll work with you to get it into a format you can use. I also have an Excel version I’m happy to share.

Cheese Plate

Cheese plates are great thing to have out and ready when guests arrive because:

• They are low maintenance. Buy some cheese and a few other goodies and you’re done.
• You can accommodate a variety of tastes. Even if not everyone in your crowd likes brie, you can still put it on the plate because it’s not standing alone.
• They give you a chance to test new cheese and expose your guests to new flavor profiles. Many of my friends have called after a party and asked “what was that cheese we had the other night” and proceeded to add it to their food repertoire.

For this cheese plate I chose a brie, cheddar, and morbier for a mix of textures and flavors. The start of the show was a winner from the 2008 American Cheese Society competition, the Carr Valley snow White Goat Cheddar. Even if you don’t like goat cheese, you should try this cheddar. It has a subtle tang that you can only get from goat’s milk and is truly amazing. It can be difficult to get though, so a couple of other options are a Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold or Beecher’s Flagship Reserve. These are my favorites of course, so build your cheese plate to match your and your guests’ pallets. If you’ve never put a cheese plate together, or just want to build a better plate for your next gathering, Chow.com has a great guide to get you started.

Of course cheese needs some friends to bring to the party. I recommend:

• Grapes (red, green, or both). While apples and pears are great partners for cheese, they don’t sit out very well and when you’re hosting a party, even a small dinner gathering, you want foods that will hold well for the beginning of the party. Grapes fit the bill.
• Bread. I like a rustic bread because it’s adds to the flavors on the plate, but by all means choose your favorite.
• Olives. The saltiness and tang of olives provide a welcome contrast to creamy cheeses and olives are just great nibbles all around.

If you look at the schedule linked at the bottom of the page you’ll notice it put the cheese plate out 30 minutes before I’m planning for guests to arrive. Cheese tastes so much better when it’s had time to shake the chill, so be sure to give it time to acclimate.

Recipe: Braised Short Ribs

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 6
• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 4 ½ – 5 lb. short ribs with bones
• 1 -2 cups flour
• Salt and pepper
• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 medium shallot, sliced thin
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 2 Tbps. chopped fresh thyme
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups hearty red wine
• 4-6 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp. sliced chives for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Season the ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the seasoned ribs in the flour.
3. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil. Continue heating until the oil just begins to smoke.
4. Working in 2-3 batches, brown the ribs on all sides.
5. Transfer the ribs to a plate and reserve.
6. Add the onion, shallot, carrot, and celery to the Dutch oven and sauté until the onions begin to get soft, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the thyme and parsley and sauté for an additional 30-60 seconds.
8. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Turn the heat to high and boil for 1-2 minutes so the alcohol can evaporate.
9. Add four cups of beef broth to the pan and stir to combine.
10. Return the ribs to the Dutch oven and add additional broth as necessary to (mostly) cover the ribs.
11. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven to braise. Flip the ribs every 30-45 minutes. They are ready when they fall off of the bone and pull apart with a fork.
12. To serve the ribs, place a healthy dollop of mashed potatoes or polenta in a shallow bowl. Top with the 1 or 2 ribs, sans bones, and some of the braising liquid and vegetables. Garnish with the chives.

Recipe for success

• Be sure you use a large enough pot to braise the ribs. If necessary you can split the recipe between two pots and cook the ribs in batches.
• Do take the time at the beginning to thoroughly brown the ribs. This adds depth of flavor to the ribs and gives you the crusty fond you are looking for when you deglaze the pan with the wine.

Recipe: Blue Cheese Polenta

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 6
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk (whatever you have on hand; I use skim)
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 9 Tbsp. quick cooking polenta
• 6 oz. blue cheese (Point Reyes or Shadows of Blue recommended)
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large sauce pan bring the milk and butter just to a boil. Whisk in the salt.
2. Reduce the milk mixture to a simmer and gently pour the polenta into the pan, whisking constantly to avoid forming lumps.
3. Cook the polenta for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency.
4. Stir in the cheese.
5. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Recipe for success

• I use Colavita polenta in my recipes and have created the recipe ratios based on how it cooks. Be sure to read the instructions on your brand of polenta and adjust the recipe as needed. If your polenta is too thick after cooking, add a few splashes of milk or water to loosen it up. If it’s too thin, stir in a tablespoon or two more polenta.
• Choose a good quality blue cheese because it is the star of the show. Point Reyes and Shadows of Blue are both creamy blue cheese which helps them melt more smoothly into the polenta. Avoid blue cheese crumbles if you can.
• If you aren’t a big fan of blue cheese, choose another tart cheese such as goat cheese. The creaminess of the polenta and the tartness of the cheese provide a nice contrast to the ribs.

The Plan

As promised, you can download my planning worksheet and adjust the menu, grocery list, and timeline to your heart’s desire. I keep some pretty unexpected things in my pantry, including cabernet chocolate sauce and beef stock, so double check your pantry items against mine and adjust the shopping list as necessary.