Shrimp Empanadas
User Reviews
5
Shrimp Empanadas
Description
The dough blending boiled plantains and masa harina yields a dough that's soft enough to shape yet sturdy for frying. The plantains bring a slightly sweet base while masa harina adds body. The shrimp filling is sautéed with aromatic onions and Serrano peppers for heat, fresh garlic and tomatoes for depth, and olives and cilantro for briny and bright notes. Chopping the shrimp finely ensures the filling spreads evenly inside the empanada.
Once shaped, the empanadas fry at a controlled temperature to crisp the exterior without burning the dough. They are best eaten fresh and hot for optimal texture. The combination of plantain dough and a shrimp-olive filling gives these empanadas a unique Caribbean-inspired taste and texture that pairs nicely with simple sides or sauces.
Frying at about 325°F is ideal for browning without burning. Leftovers reheat well in a toaster oven or briefly re-fried. Extra filling can be repurposed as a taco or rice topping. Substitute mild peppers to reduce heat if desired.
Ingredients
- 2 plantain large yellow
- salt
- 1 cup masa harina
- cooking oil for frying
FILLING
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 onion minced, white
- 1 to 3 Serrano pepper minced, or other hot green chile
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Roma tomato seeded and minced
- 1 pound Shrimp shelled
- 1/2 to 1 cup green olive minced, or black olives
- 1/4 cup cilantro minced
Instructions
- To form the dough, cut the plantains into 3 or 4 inch pieces, without peeling. Boil the plantains in salty water for about 20 minutes, then peel them. Mash with a potato ricer or a food mill or just really hammer on them -- you want no lumps. Mix with the masa harina until you can knead the dough without it being too sticky. You might need more or less than 1 cup, so start with 1/2 cup and go from there. Put the dough in a plastic bag for at least 20 minutes to hydrate.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then sauté the onions and serranos until soft. Add the garlic and the tomatoes and cook another minute or two, then add the olives and the shrimp, and cook, stirring often, until the shrimp are cooked. Chop the shrimp small. Add the cilantro, taste for salt and pepper, and let this cool completely while the dough is hydrating.
- Divide the dough into golf ball-sized balls. You will get anywhere from 8 to 12 depending on exact size you made them and the size of the plantains. Keep the balls in the plastic bag as you work with them so they stay moist.
- Get several cups of vegetable oil hot in a large, wide pan. You want it to reach about 325°F. Set a baking sheet in your oven and put a cooling rack on top of it. Set your oven to 200°F.
- Using your tortilla press (lined with two sheets cut from a plastic bag), press out a "tortilla" about 1/8 inch thick, so thicker than an actual tortilla, but still pretty thin. Remove the top plastic sheet and spoon about a tablespoon or two of the filling on one half of the dough circle. If you don't have a tortilla press. If you don't have one, roll the balls of dough out between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap until you have rounds of about 1/8-inch.
- Fold over the other half and gently press it to seal. Carefully lift the empanada off the plastic -- it's fragile right now -- and use the tines of a fork to secure the seal. Make a couple of these, then start frying in batches of 2 or 3, making more as you fry.
- Fry the empanadas for a couple minutes per side. They will brown in a hurry, so keep an eye on them. I find 2 minutes per side works. Put the finished empanadas on the rack in the oven while you do the rest.
Notes
- Fry empanadas at 325°F for a golden crust without burning the dough.
- Best served fresh but can be reheated in a toaster oven or re-fried briefly to restore crispness.
- Extra shrimp filling works well as a burrito or rice topping.
- For less heat, substitute Serrano peppers with milder varieties like Anaheim or poblano.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 198 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 198kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 28g | 9% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 456mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 385mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 840IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 61mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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