Saturday, May 17, 2008

Empanadas and Egg Rolls


Culture Night for Recipe Group yielded a couple of great recipes that I will pass on here because they shouldn't be missed. I have not personally made them yet, just tasted, but I did see them made and I think that even I could do it. That means you for sure can! Both are authentic (which means they are made in oil)! Enjoy!!

Argentine Empanadas

2 lbs ground beef
3/4 TBS Thyme Leaves
3/4 TBS Rosemary Leaves
3/4 TBS Salt
10 sliced Spanish Olives
1/4 cup raisins
4 boiled eggs (chopped)
4 boiled potatoes (chopped into small pieces)

Directions:
1. brown ground beef with spices and raisins
2. add egg and potatoes
3. scoop a table spoon into the tapa (pastry, she does get this from a latin market, rather than a grocery store, they are frozen, I didn't see a name or brand)
4. close the tapa with fingers or fork, but be sure that you do it well-you don't want the oil to seep into the emapanada.
5. fry until golden brown (I didn't see this part but I think she said that when they float to the top of the oil they are done)

Cambodian Egg Rolls
(makes about 25 egg rolls)

1 lb ground pork or turkey
2 T sugar
a dash of salt and pepper
about 5 carrots, grated (the amount of carrots and cabbage is pretty much to taste, her family prefers the carrots to the cabbage so she always does more carrots and less cabbage.)
1-3 cups cabbage (optional)
1/2 onion chopped
clear noodles (she uses bean noodles, these are optional)
egg roll wrappers

Directions:
1. Cook pork in skillet
2. Add sugar, salt, pepper, onion, carrots and cabbage. Cook until tender
3. Place small amount of mixture in the center of the egg roll wrapper and roll according to package directions. Once again, roll tightly so there are no leaks.
4. Moisten tail end with water (some use egg whites but it is not necessary) and stick to egg roll.
5. Fry in hot oil until golden