Thank you so much!
1 Like
Can you share the recipe/source? I’m particularly interested in the dough - I love the flavor of tostones so I think these would be right up my alley!
2 Likes
Hope the patient feels better soon and doesn’t give it to anyone else! 
1 Like
This particular version is from Gran Cocina Latina. Most recipes boil all the plantains, but Presilla has you hold a little back to grate raw, and I like how the dough comes together that way without the need for any fat or even eggs that I saw in one recipe. I also love the garlic she uses in the dough, which I don’t tend to see in other recipes.
I made half a batch of dough, which yields 10-12 empanadas depending on how big you make them.
For that I used:
2 lbs green plantains
1 medium garlic clove, smashed into paste
1/2 tsp distilled vinegar (lime juice if you have it, but I was out)
Peel 1.5 lbs plantains, scrape them, cut into chunks and place in enough water to cover with 1/2 tsp salt and cook until plantains are tender, about 20 minutes. Mash the plantains as soon as they’re ready. Keep the water around in case you need it for the dough.
Take the remaining plantain and peel and grate on the fine side of a box grater. Mix with the vinegar, the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and the mashed plantains. Presilla for some reason has you then put everything through a food mill. I actually put all the plantains through the food mill from the get-go rather than mash them, but typically no food mill is necessary and I actually want to try mixing this dough in the food processor to see how it works out.
Knead the plantains until they form a smooth and cohesive dough, about 3-5 minutes. If it seems dry you can add some of the water from the plantains.
Divide into 2-oz balls. You want to work with the dough while it’s still warm, for ease of handling, but if it seems to be drying out you can moisten with some of the warm plantain water. I place between sheets of wax paper and smash in my tortilla press, but a rolling pin can be used instead. Flatten to 4.5-5 inch rounds and if you want you can use a cutter to make neat edges, but I didn’t bother. Fill with heaping tablespoons of filling and press ends together you can indent for a decorative edge, but outside of a couple I also didn’t bother 
. Deep fry in 375° oil.
The filling is very simple and delicious. Plain cheese is very common, and I’ve seen pork and chicken fillings as well.
6 cloves garlic
1-1.5 tsp Merkén or 1 tsp hot smoked paprika (I used smoked sweet paprika and added some cayenne instead)
Salt to taste
3-4 scallions, whites and 3-4 inches of greens finely chopped
1/2 small onion (about 3 oz), finely chopped
Cilantro finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 lb shrimp, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
You mash the garlic and Merkén in a mortar and pestle and add the rest of the ingredients except the shrimp, mix well, then marinate the shrimp for 20 minutes in this adobo.
Then heat a little olive oil over medium heat in a skillet and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes. Adjust salt if necessary.
I opted to smash the onion and scallion whites into a paste as well for more flavor while reserving the cilantro and scallion greens for later. I also held back the vinegar because I prefer to not marinate seafood in acid except very briefly. I added the vinegar during the last five minutes of marinating before cooking. Once cooked, I added the cilantro and scallion greens off the heat.
I did not need to drain any of the juices, but she advises to do so if the filling seems excessively juicy. She mentions any juice can be used for sauces like flavored mayo.
Here’s a video of someone making them and their shrimp filling looks quite tasty as well:
Really they’re I think some of the easiest empanadas to make as the dough is super simple, very easy to handle (and you can handle it as much as you want), and fries with no mess whatsoever.
8 Likes
Super simple tonight: BISO chicken breast drizzled with olive oil and Spicewalla’s Honey and Herb seasoning blend and roasted at 400° for about 40 minutes.
Steamed green beans tossed with butter, salt, and pepper and topped with toasted almonds.
Wine.
23 Likes
Thanks - so it’s just florets and cooking spray? no other ingredients/seasoning?
1 Like
i’d be all over that peeg.
1 Like
Thank you so much for the recipe and tips - this is going straight into the must-try file!
1 Like
OH! I can recommend a great furniture refinisher 
Thank you. We are trying to shield ourselves but it’s probably futile.
1 Like
Filet of wagyu beef on the grill. Baby spinach in a house vinaigrette, with cremini mushrooms, gruyere cheese, and bits of home-smoked pork belly.
22 Likes
I was reading the ingredients for the Rumaan spritz and I thought it said porn juice. 
1 Like
It’s Burns Night. Cullen skink-ish. I could only find smoked trout, but it was very good. Scotch eggs and a cucumber, red onion salad, oo&v dressing for something green.
And a wee dram, Slàinte Mhath!
21 Likes
Anyone else do Burns Night? I’m not even a fan of his poetry but any excuse to drink whisky and celebrate something, right?
A wee dram with some Scottish cheddar while I cooked.
We then entered THE TURNIP ZONE.
Finally, an offering of bangers with onion gravy over neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper-- I added parsley too). I did make sure to confirm that the Scots do eat bangers before cooking this, since haggis is unavailable.
Another wee (or not so wee) dram to wash it all down.
28 Likes
I must have really missed sushi, because… twice in two days So. Delicious.
(Played wingwoman to a separated friend who wanted to attend a specific singles networking event, and one of my favorite sushi places had a location right next door so we had dinner there after.)
18 Likes
Aye I did and I have had bangers and mash in Edinburgh.
4 Likes
I will get you the recipe.
Its broccoli that has been steamed, chopped/diced/pulverized into the tiniest of pieces (that was fun!), and there was cheese, egg, various seasonings.
2 Likes
The Not Ladies Night was fun – we bumped into a few friends we hadn’t seen in a while & joined their table. I ordered the cocktail I’d eyed, was stumped to get a significant hit of anise, and wondered if I’d overlooked any chartreuse (not my cuppa, unless used sparingly), but the culprit was the base booze I’d paid no attention to: arak. Duh.
It was ok, but I quickly pivoted to an Isle of Harris martini (we killed their last bottle 
!).
The food was also a bit of a letdown: the beef kebabs were sold out already, and one of our friends had had the eggplant and didn’t like it, so I didn’t want to order that, either.
Instead, we ended up sharing the za’atar chips with preserved lemon (indiscernible) aioli, and got the lamb gyro pita & the boureka.
The boureka looked gorgeous, but the heavy scent of cloves was emanating from the dish. I do not care for cloves, and think they have zero business in a date mustard sauce that makes no mention of this rather powerful ingredient. My PIC got to finish that one pretty much all by himself.
The lamb gyro was heavy on the pita, and light on the meat, which wasn’t particularly flavorful. The tzatziki sauce was also skimpy, and why any restaurant would use fresh raw tomatoes in anything in January is beyond me. We picked off the meat and left the pita.
Our dirty plates sat on the table for at least an hour, even tho the place wasn’t super-busy. My friend who manages the bar had the day off, otherwise that would’ve never happened.
Facit: another highly mediocre meal: 2 for 0. As we were driving home, one of my gal pals txted to see if we wanted to go out today. To the gay bar. Yeah, no.
WFD remains TBD.
12 Likes
Damn. Thought those two would be tasty. Sorry to hear they weren’t. 
