Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Empanadas with Salsa Verde

So, even I may have to admit that calling these latkes is pushing the envelope, but they're damn good; so, why not!

Ingredients

1 poblano pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ounce portabella mushrooms, stems and spores removed, diced

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water and drained, chopped

4 ounces goat cheese

2 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 recipe Empanada Dough

white whole wheat flour, for rolling

water, for sealing

canola oil, for frying

Salsa Verde, for serving

Equipment

chef's knife

cutting board

garlic press

tongs

brown paper lunch bag

spatula

brown paper grocery bags

spoon

small bowl

colander

measuring spoons

medium bowl

mixing spoon

flat surface, for rolling

rolling pin

2-inch round cookie cutter

pastry brush

large skillet

Directions

1. Over a gas burner, roast the poblano pepper until black and charred all around. (Alternatively, cut pepper in half. Place cut side down on baking sheet and place under broiler untill charred.) Place in a brown paper lunch bag and let steam for at least 15 minutes.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft.

3. Add garlic and mushrooms, cook until mushrooms are soft.

4. Drain on a brown paper grocery bag.

5. Remove roasted pepper from bag. Remove charred skin, stem, seeds and white membrane. Dice pepper and add that and mushroom mixture to the mixing bowl.

6. Add cheeses, cilantro and salt and pepper. Mix.

7. On a floured surface, roll out dough (you may need to do half at a time) into 1/8-inch thick.

8. Using the 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles of dough. (You may reroll dough ONE more time. If you do more than that, it may become very tough.)

9. brush both sides of rounds with water.

10. Pile about 1 teaspoon of mixture on half the rounds.

11. Cover each filled round with an empty round. Stretch the dough to seal around the filling, while pushing the filling into the center. Pinch each empanada to seal tightly.

12. Heat 1/2 inch oil in skillet.

13. Add empanadas and cook on each side until golden.

14. Remove from oil and let drain on brown paper grocery bags.

15. Serve immediately with Salsa Verde.

Yields about 4 dozen empanada latkes

2009 by Allison Lattman