Empanadas Down And Out!

• Makes 12 Empanadas Down and Out.
• FILLING
• 1/2 lb. ground chuck/90% lean
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 3 eggs hard boiled and chopped
• 1 medium roasted red pepper chopped
• 1 medium roasted Poblano pepper chopped
• 6 oz. green Spanish olives (deli quality preferred) diced
• 2 oz. dark raisins
• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbs olive oil divided
• 1 half lime
• 1/2 tsp sweet Paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dry thyme
• dash of salt
• SHELL
• 12 store-bought empanada rings (about 5" diameter) thawed. Goya brand or similar
• SAUCE (for spooning on top of opening after your first bite)
• 4 oz olive oil
• 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs diced red onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 4 oz. chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups of Canola Oil for frying

1. NIGHT BEFORE KICK-OFF
2. FILLING
3. 1. Roast peppers for 30 minutes in 400 degree oven. Let sit for 30 more minutes. Peel off skin, remove stems and seeds and dice. Do not use water to remove seeds. Reserved juice will be poured into filling.
4. 2. Hard boil the eggs. Let cool. Peel and chop eggs.
5. 3. brown the ground chuck and pork in a 12" pan over medium heat chopping up the meat with a spatula, but leaving some small chunks. Drain grease and set aside.
6. 4. wipe pan and heat the 2 tbs of olive oil. Add onion and cook over medium heat until starting to golden. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cooked meat, chopped peppers, olives, raisins, eggs, juice of lime, juice from peppers, spices, remaining olive oil, and vinegar. Mix well and gently to avoid breaking up eggs to much more. Store in air tight container over night.
7. SAUCE
8. mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste, and store in air tight container at room temperature over night
9. GAME DAY
10. 1.heat filling in microwave enough to bring it to a warm temperature (about 2 minutes stirring once half way through
11. 2. place generous amount of filling in center of shell. Wet the outer ring slightly with water, fold in half, gently press out filling, seal the empanada with fingers pressing down length of the semi circle. Take a fork and make small indentations throughout rim.
12. 2. heat Canola oil in a large deep 10" pan to a frying temperature. Fry empanadas 3 at a time turning frequently until shell is golden brown on both sides. Drain any excess oil on paper towels.
13. 3. Return empanadas to container and store them along with the container of sauce for transport. Do not place in an ice bearing cooler as they should be at room temperature.
14. HOW TO EAT
15. After first bite, spoon a bit of sauce in the opening for the next bite and so forth.
16. Viva L'Empanada Down and Out!

filling, ground pork, eggs, red pepper, pepper, green spanish olives, dark raisins, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lime, sweet paprika, ground cumin, ground black pepper, thyme, salt, shell, empanada, olive oil, vinegar, red onion, garlic, fresh cilantro, salt, canola oil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/empanadas-down-and-out-50053142 (may not work)