Seafood Empanadas from Tierra del Fuego

Embark on a culinary journey to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, with these exquisite seafood empanadas. Bringing together the robust flavors of king crab, prawns, and calamari, complemented by aromatic spices, wine, and cream, this dish serves as an exquisite appetizer or a light main course that captures the essence of Argentinian cuisine.

Ingredients

🫒 25cc Cooking Oil
🍅 1 Tomato, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
🧅 1 Onion, chopped
🌶️ 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
🍖 50g Ham, chopped
🦀 250g King Crab Meat
🍤 200g Prawns, cleaned and peeled
🦑 200g Calamari Rings, cleaned
🌶️ 1 tbsp Sweet Paprika
🌼 1 small can Saffron
🌿 1 tbsp Chives or Parsley, chopped
🍃 2 Bay Leaves
🧂 1 tsp Salt
🧂 1 tsp Black Pepper
🧄 2 cloves Garlic, minced
🌿 1 tbsp Thyme, chopped
🍷 150cc White Wine
🥛 150g Cream
🥚 2 Eggs, beaten
🥟 Empanada Dough (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

1- Sauté Aromatics:

• Heat the cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan.
• Add chopped onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, sweet paprika, thyme, and ham.
• Sauté until the mixture is aromatic and the onion is translucent. Season with salt as needed.

2- Cook Seafood:

• Once the aromatics are ready, add the prawns, calamari rings, and king crab meat.

3- Deglaze and Season:

• Pour in the white wine, ensuring it has been diluted with saffron.
• Add bay leaves, then season with black pepper and additional salt to taste.

4- Simmer:

• Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the seafood to absorb the seasoning.

5- Thicken the Sauce:

• Remove the lid, stir in the cream, and continue cooking uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
• Adjust seasoning as necessary, then turn off the heat to let the filling cool completely.

6- Prepare the Filling:

• Once the filling is cool, mix it in a bowl with the beaten eggs and chives or parsley, reserving some egg for brushing.

7- Assemble Empanadas:

• Place spoonfuls of the seafood mixture onto the empanada dough circles.
• Seal the edges by crimping them (repulgue) and brush the tops with the reserved beaten egg.

8- Cook Empanadas:

• Bake in a preheated oven or fry until golden brown.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes for filling, additional cooking time for empanadas
Total Time: 1.5 to 2 hours (including cooling)
Servings: 12 empanadas
Calories: Approx. 250 per empanada (dependent on dough type and size)
Equipment: Non-stick frying pan, Wüsthof Classic chef's knife, wooden spatula, metal garlic press for efficiency, stainless steel mixing bowl, dough cutter, wooden pepper mill, oven or fryer

Cooking Tips

• Tomato Prep: Peeling and deseeding ensures a smooth, thick filling.
• Saffron Use: Dilute saffron in wine for even color and flavor distribution.
• Filling Cooling: Ensure filling is completely cooled before adding eggs and filling dough.

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Seafood Empanadas from Tierra del Fuego