Spanish Croquetas

 

Ingredients:

• 1tsp spoon of olive oil
  2 tsp spoons of flour
  1cup of milk
  1 Egg
  1/4 cup of bread crumbs
  Nutmeg
  5 oz of ham, cut into small pieces (or ground)
  Salt

Directions:

1. Put the oil in a frying pan and warm it. 
2. Once the oil is warm (but before it is so hot that smoke rises from it) remove the pan from the heat and add the flour to the oil. 
3. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes a paste.
4. Place the pan on the heat again and add the milk, little by little, stirring the mixture all the time until it is cooked and even. 
5. Add the nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the ham. 
6. Cook in the pan until the mixture is stiff, continuously stirring.
7. Spoon mixture into a bowl and let it cool. 
8. Beat the egg. 
9. Once the mixture is cool, make small portions and mould them with your hands into the shape of a croqueta (oval). 
10. Dip each croqueta into the beaten egg and then dip it into the breadcrumbs.
11. Place each croqueta separately on a plate. 
12. Fry the croquetas in a pan with enough oil to cover them until they are golden brown and crispy. 
13. Serve straight away.

Lisa C. . . . .

Baked Cornmeal Empanadas

Ingredients:


2 cups precooked yellow cornmeal (masarepa)
3 cups hot water (almost boiling)
1 tablespoon sazon goya with azafran (3 packets) (optional but soooo worth it )
1/2 teaspoon salt
Beef Filling


Directions:

1. Measure the masarepa into a large bowl, add the sazon, and salt and mix well; 
2. add the water and mix to form a dough (it will be a little wet and rubbery); let stand while filling is prepared.
3. Cook your Beef filling.
4. Preheat Oven to 400〫

1. Break off golf ball sized sections of dough (1.5 oz) and roll in your hands into a ball; place between plastic wrap and flatten with the heel of your palm into a 6 inch disc.
2. Peel away plastic from top only and scoop plastic and disc into your palm; place a heaping tablespoon of filling in center then fold disc and pinch closed; slightly flatten to distribute filling.
3.  Bake on greased baking sheet 25-30 minutes at 400F. until lightly browned. 

Beef Empanadas (Beef Patties)

Ingredients:

1 lb. browned ground beef or cooked shredded chicken

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/8 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 c. sliced green olives

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4-1/2 jalapeno, minced (optional)

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 pkg. Goya Sazon with annato

1pkg Goya Discs for Empanadas

1 cup vegetable oil for frying.

Directions:

FILLING: Brown ground beef (drain excess grease), or sauté shredded chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add all the ingredients and cook for an additional 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool.

COOKING: Preheat the vegetable oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the dough and seal the edges with a fork.

Deep fry for about 5 minutes on each side, then place on dish lined with paper-towels. Press another layer of paper towels over the top.

For a healthier take... These CAN be fried...

(if you feel adventurous, you can play with the stuffing.. I've done ham and cheese, peperoni and mozzarella, sweet plantain and cheddar, etc..)

Crab Ragoon

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) package small won ton wrappers
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 pound crabmeat, shredded
• 1 quart oil for frying

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet or deep fryer to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, parsley, cilantro and crabmeat.
3. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each wonton wrapper. Fold the won ton wrapper over the stuffing to make a triangle or a half moon, depending on the shape of the won ton wrappers you have purchased. Moisten the edges with a little water, and seal. Place prepared won tons under a slightly moist paper towel until ready for frying.
4. Add 3 or 4 wontons to the hot oil, and cook until golden brown, turning once. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Repeat until all wontons have been fried. Serve hot.

Alcapurria (Puerto Rican Fritters)

 

Ingredients

• Yautía (taro root) -- 1 pound
• Green bananas (see notes) -- 4
• Sofrito -- 2 teaspoons
• Salt -- 1 teaspoon
• Beef Filling-- 2 cups
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Peel the yautía and grate it on a fine grater into a large bowl. 
2. Peel the green bananas and grate them into the same bowl. 
3. Add the Sofrito and salt and mix together well. Place the Mixture in a food processor and pulse until the it is fairly smooth and texture is consistent and it should feel a little like dough.
4. Cut a banana leaf, piece of wax or parchment paper into a round shape slightly larger than your hand. 
5. Put about 1/2 cup of the mixture onto the round and spread it out a bit. 
6. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beef filling in the middle of the mixture. 
7. Using the round, fold the batter up and around the filling, completely enclosing it. Form it into a smooth, oval round and set it aside. 
8. Continue with the remaining mixture and filling until it is used up.
9. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pan or deep fryer to about 370°F. Drop a few of the alcapurrias at a time into the oil and fry until well browned.

TipS**

• **Be sure ot to add too many at a time, for it can greatly reduce the temperature of the oil**
• ** Be Creative with the fillings try using crabmeat, shrimp, lobster chopped chicken or chopped turkey **.
• **Besides yautía and green bananas, try using plantains, yuca (cassava) or potatoes in your masa**
• ** Some cooks add a little vinegar to the dough. It both flavors it and probably helps to keep it from browning too much**
• **Chilling the masa first makes it easier to handle.**
• **Alcapurrias freeze well. Since you're going through the process may want to double or triple the recipe and freeze a few for later.. lol.. Just place them on a baking sheet raw and put in the freezer until they are frozen. Then transfer them to an airtight bag and return to the freezer. Drop frozen alcapurrias directly into the hot oil to cook.

Aranitas de Platanos (Shredded Plantain Fritters)

Ingredients:

• 1 green plantain
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying

Preparation:

1.Peel the plantain and shred with a coarse grater. 2. Place the grated plantain in salted water and let soak for about 10 minutes.
3.Drain the grated plantain and dry with paper towels to soak up excess water.
4.Mix the grated plantain with the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
5.Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
6.Fry the shredded mix by the spoonful in clumps until golden, about 5 minutes.
7.Drain on paper towels ..




.

Platano Maduro Frito (Fried Sweet Plantain)

 

 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup vegetable oil
2. 6 very ripe plantains (about 3/4 pound each), peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
3. Salt (optional)

Directions

1. In 2 very large nonstick skillets, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the plantains in a single layer over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until deep golden and tender, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Drain the plantains on a paper towel-lined rack and, if desired, sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve warm.

Arepitas de maiz (Hushpuppies)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 1/2 cup of oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of anise seeds
• 2 eggs

Direction:

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the oil. 
2. In a shallow frying pan heat the oil. 
3. Pour the mix one spoonful at a time into pan, making small pancakes. 
4. Fry till golden brown on both sides. 
5. Serve immediately.