Empanadas with Sweet Potato, Beans and Goat Cheese

These Empanadas with Sweet Potato, Beans and Goat Cheese came about when I was challenged to make empanadas for a friend. I was a little daunted, so of course I did a lot of research. While empanadas vary widely in terms of what’s in them and how they’re made and cooked (depending on who’s making them), the bottom line is, they’re definitely Dirty Laundry Kitchen food. In terms of their origin, empanadas are all about using up leftovers as filling and having a hot delicious snack- two things I’m passionate about doing. When beans or meats started to get old and dry, people would add other ingredients and moisture along with lots of spices and made a tasty filling that no longer looked beautiful and appetizing. But by stuffing it into a gorgeous pastry and either baking or frying them, they become something new and wonderful unto themselves. Empanadas, the gorgeous little South American pies. I didn’t have any meat to use up when I set out to master empanadas, so I settled on a veggie filling with goat cheese. I had some sweet potatoes in the veggie drawer that had seen better days lying around and the rest was … Continue reading

Pickled Pear Bruschetta

The hearty cracker as the base makes for a beautiful and rustic dish with my Pickled Pear Bruschetta. The rich mascarpone shallot spread is both delicate enough in flavor to showcase the pear and creamy enough to make this nibble feel substantial. Pickled Pear Bruschetta sets a perfect winter tone and the lush gold color of the pear adds to the golden hue of the menu. Wasa Crackers (I like the thick multi-grain) Filling: 1 cup shallots 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup white wine ¼ teaspoon five spice powder ¼ or less freshly grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon salt dash cayenne 8 ounces mascarpone Pickled Pears: 1 bosc pear (firm is important, but really any variety will do) 1 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons salt ¼ cup sugar Mince the shallots. Sauté the shallots in butter on medium low until very soft (20-30 minutes). Add the white wine and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the five spice, nutmeg, salt and cayenne, stir well and then cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Stir in the mascarpone until well-distributed. Slice the pears very thin (a mandoline works best) from the bottom. The round slices will curl into … Continue reading