Showing posts with label tuna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tuna. Show all posts
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Smoky Tuna Cauliflower Empanadillas
I have sung the praises of Things Wrapped in Dough many times before, from Eastern European kreplach and knishes to Turkish manti. Im not sure what it is about them—the fun of having your own gift-wrapped surprise? The adorable tidiness of the whole package? Whatever it is, Im hooked. Especially when theyre as delicious as these empanadillas.
These tidy little turnovers combine some of my favorite Spanish flavors: rich oil-packed tuna, smoky pimenton, and briny capers, all of which are set off by the tangy tomato in the filling and surprisingly sweet orange zest and juice in the dough. And yes, the cauliflower might not be traditional. But I like vegetables (and it works quite well).
Unlike their Latin American counterparts, the Spanish version of these turnovers features a rich rather than lean dough (and Ive gilded the lily a bit, using my favorite technique to build in even more flaky layers). Sadly the standard Things Wrapped in Dough disclaimer applies: as with any time you have to Make The Dough, Make The Filling, and then Wrap The Filling In The Dough, these empanadillas arent the quickest meal. But theyre delicious. You can make up for this by preparing the dough and filling at separate times, or by doubling the recipe and making an army of empanadillas for your freezer in one big session. Because theyre briny, smoky, punchy and delicious. In short, theyre worth it.
Smoky Tuna-Cauliflower Empanadillas
Inspired to some degree by some regional Spanish cookbook I no longer remember, dough technique inspired by Chez Pim. With the cauliflower, theyre nearly a complete meal, but I like to serve with a big salad.
yields ~10 turnovers
Dough:
2 1/2 cups flour (I like to swap out 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, but thats optional)
1 pinch salt
zest of 1 orange
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
~1/3 cups orange juice (you can squeeze this from the orange you zested)
Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin half-moons
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons pimenton (smoked spanish paprika), sweet or hot
1 pinch chili flakes (omit if using hot pimenton)
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 small cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 5-ounce cans oil-packed tuna, drained
1/4 cup drained capers
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 splash sherry vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only)
salt and pepper to taste In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and orange zest. Add the butter, toss to coat with flour, and press down with the heel of your hand to flatten it into flour-coated flakes. Stir from the bottom to distribute, and repeat the pressing and stirring process until all of the flour is incorporated into flakes or bits. Add the orange juice, and work the dough until it just comes together (youll work it more later, so no need to go nuts—smears of butter are fine). You may not need all of the orange juice, or you may need more, depending upon your dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Saute the onions about 7 minutes, until beginning to soften, then add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes. Add the pimenton and chili flakes, stir to toast, then add the tomato puree and cauliflower. Cover and cook until the cauliflower barely begins to lose its rawness but is still plenty snappy—just a minute or two. Turn off the heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
While the filling is chilling, take out the dough out of the fridge, and unwrap on a lightly-floured countertop. Roll out to a rectangular shape, then fold like an envelope and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat twice more, then re-wrap and return to the fridge for another chill, ~30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment, and prepare your egg wash.
When the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator, and let soften for a few minutes. Roll out thinly, and cut out 6" circles (if you, like me, dont have a 6" cutter or bowl to use, you can just use a 4" cutter, and then roll them out further, or divide the dough into 10 pieces, and roll each one into a round). Scoop 1/4 filling onto each round, and brush the edges of the dough circles with the egg wash. Fold over to make a half circle, securing the seal by pressing with your fingers or crimping with a fork. Place the filled turnovers on your baking sheets, brush with the egg wash, and cut a couple tiny holes for the steam to vent. If the kitchen is quite warm, you might need to chill them for a bit after this step, but ordinarily you can transfer them right into the oven (If youre making a bunch in advance, you can freeze them at this stage, and just add a few extra minutes to the baking time when you do cook them). Bake until browned and bubbling, ~30 minutes. Devour.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Marmitako Basque Potato Tuna Soup
The words "summer soup" conjure up different pictures in different parts of the world. In some places, its a chilled and dilled borscht. In others, a cooling, smoothie-like mix of fruit and dairy. And in the Basque Country, it is a simmering stew of potatoes and tuna.
Okay, I know this sounds like the last thing youd want on a hot day. But the timing makes some bit of sense: summer brings the new potato harvest, as well as the annual tuna run. Even so, its not quite what I look for on a sunny afternoon. But on chilly winter nights, like the ones weve been having recently, its perfect.
Every coastal region seems to have its own version of fish stew, from a rustic chowder to a layered boulliabaisse. Marmitako is on the surface a simple soup, but has a surprisingly satisfying depth. The aromatics and potatoes are cooked together for well over an hour to develop the flavors, and the tuna is stirred in at the end to add a briny note without becoming overcooked.
Marmitako was traditionally made right on the tuna boats themselves, simmering the days catch with potatoes that had been brought on board. It can take many forms, some using dried peppers, others with onions or tomatoes. This particular version was adapted by my friend Iñaki, whos been schooling me in Basque cuisine for the past few months. Hes sadly heading back home next week, and shared this recipe during our final cooking session. Its a hell of a parting gift.
Marmitako
as adapted by Iñaki Guridi
yields one large pot
As with the Basque soup porrusalda, the potatoes arent cut with a knife, but broken into rough-edged pieces that release more starch to thicken the soup. To do this, slide a paring knife halfway through a peeled potato, about 1.5" down. Press the potato between your thumb and the knife, and twist to free a chunk roughly 1.5" square. Repeat until the whole potato is reduced to rough chunks.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
6 medium (or 4 large) waxy red or yellow potatoes, peeled and broken into chunks (see above)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb fresh tuna (albacore, if possible), cut into 1" cubes
salt and pepper
Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pepper, garlic and potatoes, and saute for several minutes, until the pepper and garlic have softened. Add the tomato paste, and enough water to cover everything by about 2". Season with salt, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for at least an hour and a half, until quite tender and flavorful.
When the soup is about 20 minutes from being done, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tuna, season liberally with salt, and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until firm but not fully cooked. Add the cubes to the soup pot, and simmer gently for another 15 minutes to meld the flavors.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)