A New Look at Comfort Food

If you want to put some effort into a comfort meal, this one is it! Although nothing is too hard in the menu, it does take some time. But these empanadas stuffed with butternut squash are absolutely delectable. We paired it with a simple black bean soup to complete the meal. We made the full batch of empanadas that the recipe suggests and just froze half pre-made, but unbaked, so that we could pop them out of the freezer and into the oven for an inpromptu party. Delicious!

Tiny Curried Empanadas (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 large potato (about 2/3 lbs.)
1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

Dough
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
5 Tbs. cold water
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 Tbs. water

2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1/4 cup currants [we couldn't find currants so we used raisins]
2 Tbs. pine nuts
1 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Spicy Sour Cream
1 cup sour cream [low or non-fat is fine]
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. chili powder
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Peel the potato, then cut it in half. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. To do this, cut 1/2 inch off the base of the squash, stand it upright (the base cut should make it stable), then carefully, with a strong chef's knife, cut from the top down. Bake the squash and the split potato for 45 minutes or until both are tender.
2. Make the dough while the vegetables are baking: In a large bowl combine the butter, flour, and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter into fine bits, smaller than peas. Beat the egg with the water, and add this mixture to the butter and flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together, adding a bit more water if the dough looks too dry. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead the dough for a minute to smooth it. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes (unless your kitchen is over 70 degrees, in which case you should refrigerate the dough).
3. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook them for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger, curry powder, and coriander, and cook, stirring often, for another 3 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat.
Spoon our the seeds of the butternut squash, and discard them. Then scoop our the flesh. Add half the flesh to the skillet, and save the other half for another use [I used the rest in the leftovers of the orzo dish.]
Cut the baked potatointo 1/4-inch cubes, and add them to the skillet as well. Stir well with a wooden spoon, mashing the squash so it is fully integrated in the filling. Add the currants, pine nuts, salt, and pepper.
4. Roll the dough quite thin on the floured surface. With a large glass or biscuit cutter (3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter), cut as many rounds as possible. Spoon about 1 tsp. filling onto the middle of each round. Fold the rounds in half, and press the semicircle closed. Form a loose ball from the scraps of dough, then roll this out thin. Continue making empanadas until all the dough is used.
Place the empanadas on a baking sheet, and brush them with the egg yolk-water mixture (don't let too much of this drip onto the baking sheet, because it will burn). Press with a fork along the sealed edge, making a ridged design and further sealing the empanadas. Bake the empanadas at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are golden brown at the edges.
5. To make the Spicy Sour Cream, put the sour cream into a bowl, and mix in the cayenne and chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve this dip with the hot empandas.


Black Bean Soup (Cooking Light, April 2005)

This soup is actually very easy and made even easier with an immersion blender. Adam likes his soups to have some texture, so an immersion blender works perfectly for us to ensure that we get the desired consistancy.

1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
3 Tbs. chopped carrot
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water
3 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
sliced green onions, optional
sour cream for topping, optional

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, minced onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and next 4 ingredients, saute 3 minutes. Add broth, water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
2. Place half of soup in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with sliced green onions and sour cream, if desired.