“Cinco De Tello” March Challenge Winning Recipe
Tello’s Creation: Isabel’s Chorizo & Clam Empanadas with Crispy Bacon Sour Cream Dip
Yields 4 servings
- Empanada Shells (recommended brand Goya)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup diced Mexican chorizo
- ½ cup shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Poblano pepper, diced
- ½ cup Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp Sherry vinegar
- 1 ½ cups chopped ocean clams, strain & reserve juice
- 1 cup reserved clam juice
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Sour Cream Dip
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup of chopped crispy bacon
Crispy Bacon Sour Cream Dip
- In a food processor or blender, puree sour cream, green onion, crispy bacon and lemon juice until pale green.
- Season with salt to taste
- Refrigerate until ready to use
- Serve chilled
Empanadas
- 1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat
- Add the chorizo and sauté until slightly crisp, about 2 minutes
- Add the shallots and Poblano pepper and cook for 1 minute
- Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes
- Stir in the clam juice, sherry vinegar, and chopped ocean clams and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer until almost all the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened, about 30 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat, and cool mixture.
- Spread 1 ½ oz of mixture on each empanada shell, fold in half and close along edges with a fork
- Deep fry or bake empanadas until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes to deep fry or 7 minutes to bake at 350 degrees.
- Serve Empanadas with Crispy Bacon Sour Cream Dip on the side
