RECIPES
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BAKED ALPACA APPLE SAGE EMPANADAS WITH CIDER SAUCE EMPANADA DOUGH
Ingredients for Fresh Empanada Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ to ½ tsp salt
6 oz. unsalted butter cut into small cubes
1 egg
¼ cup to ½ cup water or milk
Mix the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated but still in pieces. Add the egg and the water or milk (in small increments) and continue to pulse until a clumpy dough forms. Split dough into two large balls or into smaller balls to flatten into disc shape. The dough can be used immediately or refrigerated until ready to use (1-2 days max). Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes about 4” in circumference with a cutter or bowl. If using smaller balls, these can be flattened in a tortilla press. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator/freezer for later use.
To assemble the empanadas, place a spoonful of filling on the middle of each empanada disc. The amount of filling will depend on the size of the empanada, but it is easier to seal if not overstuffed, leaving about a half inch of uncovered dough around the outside edge. Beat one egg and a few drops of water together and brush around outside edge. Fold empanada over in a half moon shape, pinch the edges together and seal by pressing a fork around the outside edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes before baking. Whisk one egg and a few drops of water and brush top of empanada for a golden crust.
Empanada Filling:
1 lb. ground alpaca or ground pork
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 fuji apple, cut into ½” cubes
½ dried cranberries or apricots
1 tbsp. dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat, add ground alpaca breaking it up with your fingers, then breaking up with a wooden spoon into smaller pieces. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the outside of the meat is pale, but not browned. Do not overcook alpaca, it should be medium rare, and will cook further in the empanada. Remove alpaca and set aside on a plate. Add more olive oil to pan and sauté the onions until they are browned and caramelized. Add apple, cran-berries and sauté until apples soften but still retain their shape. Remove from heat and let cool.
When meat mixture has cooled, fill the empanada dough as instructed and brush with egg wash. Bake at 375-400 degrees for 18-25 minutes until golden, depending on size of the empanadas.
Cider Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups Apple Cider
6 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
Put 2 cups apple cider in a saucepan and boil until thickened and it covers the back of a spoon. Add 6 Tbsp.
of heavy cream while stirring. Add 1 Tbsp. maple syrup. When empanadas are baked, drizzle sauce over to serve.
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BAKED PERUVIAN MEATBALLS WITH GREEN SAUCE
Makes approximately 18, 1.5" meatballs
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground meat – alpaca or beef
2 tbsps. Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic Stir-In Paste
3 tsps. Gourmet Garden Cilantro Stir-In Paste
½ small onion finely chopped
2 tsps. cumin
½ tsp. pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
Olive oil cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add garlic, cilantro, onion, cumin, pimento, breadcrumbs, egg and salt. Mix thoroughly but gently with your hands to combine, but do not over- mix or meatballs will become tough. Using a medium ice cream scoop, form into 1.5” balls of equal size. Lightly spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with olive oil and place individual meatballs in each compartment. Bake approximately 15-18 minutes until meatballs are slightly firm to the touch. Spoon the green sauce over each meatball or on the side in a small condiment cup. Stick a frilly toothpick in each meatball to serve as an appetizer.
Green Sauce:
3 jalapeño chili peppers, remove half the seeds and ribs for a medium hot sauce, adjust to your taste, roughly chopped
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, from one lime
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
BAKED PERUVIAN MEATBALLS WITH QUESO SAUCE
Makes approximately 18, 1.5” Meatballs
SLOW COOKER QUESO:
Makes 4 cups
2 Tbsps. olive oil + 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 lbs. Original Velveeta cheese loaf or 1 lb. Original Velveeta
cheese loaf plus 1 lb. Original Velveeta cheese loaf with jalapeno (delete the Hatch dice green chilies below), cut into cubes
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 small can Hatch diced mild green chilies
1/2 of a 15-oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup beer of choice, optional
In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and butter and cook on medium heat until butter has melted and mixture is hot. Add roughly chopped yellow onion, reduce heat to medium low and cook slowly, mixing occasionally, until onion is evenly caramelized and golden, approximately 35 minutes, do not overcook. Add hatch chilies, fire roasted tomatoes and dry mustard, stir together. Remove from heat. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray. Put skillet mixture into a slow cooker with 2 lbs. of cheese. Cook for two hours on low heat until mixture is heated and cheese is melted. If queso seems too thick, thin with beer. Alternate Method: Spray a deep, round baking dish with cooking spray, add all ingredients, mix until well combined. Cook in the microwave, covered with parchment paper, on high for about 7 minutes. If mixture seems too thick and you cannot easily spoon over meatballs, thin with beer. Sauce can also be used with just tortilla chips. For spicier sauce, lightly brown a half pound of alpaca chorizo to stir into mixture before it goes into the microwave.
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground grass-fed meat – alpaca or beef
3 tsps. Gourmet Garden™ Chunky Garlic Stir-In
Paste
2 Tbsps. Gourmet Garden™ Cilantro Stir-In Paste
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
2 tsps. cumin
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
Olive oil cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add garlic, cilantro, onion, cumin, pimenton, breadcrumbs, egg and salt. Mix thoroughly but gently with your hands to combine — do not overmix or meatballs will become tough. Using a medium ice cream scoop form into 1.5” balls of equal size. Lightly spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with olive oil and place individual meatballs in each compartment. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until meatballs are browned and firm to the touch. Spoon queso sauce over each meatball to serve.
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STUFFED ITALIAN SAUSAGE MUSHROOMS
Makes 12 Mushrooms
12 extra-large white or cremini mushrooms, stems removed
3 Tbsps. olive oil
3 Tbsps. dry marsala wine
3 Tbsps. additional olive oil
1 lb. ground grass-fed Italian alpaca sausage or ground Italian pork sausage
3 cloves, finely minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese blend (preferably with Asiago & Romano cheese)
2 Tbsps. minced fresh parsley
4 ounces softened plain cream cheese or mascarpone
5 ounces shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place mushroom caps in a bowl and toss with the olive oil and marsala wine. Set aside. Heat another 3 tbsps. of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling with a spoon and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, but do not brown or overcook. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool slightly. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and cream cheese or mascarpone. Place a mushroom cap in each of 12 muffin tin compartments, cap side down. Divide the remaining olive oil/marsala from pan and put about ¼ tsp. in each cap hole. Using a small to medium ice cream scoop depending on size of the mushroom caps, place enough filling on the cap to create a mound, pressing onto mushroom. Top mushrooms with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
TERIYAKI SLIDERS
Makes 10-12 Sliders
1/3 to ½ bottle San-J Teriyaki Stir Fry and marinade sauce
4 Alpaca steaks
1 pkg. King’s Hawaiian buns
¼ pkg. finely shredded cabbage
1 wedge fresh pineapple, sliced about ¼” thick
Thinly slice the steaks and put in a large storage bag. Add teriyaki marinade, seal and turn bag to coat meat. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Prepare buns by separating tops from bottoms. On the bottoms, place a small amount of shredded cabbage, then lay a slice of pineapple on top (do not put pineapple down first or bun will be soggy).
Heat a stove top grill pan to medium high. Remove the steak slices from the freezer bag, shaking off excess marinade. Lay meat on grill pan perpendicular to the raised grill to create grill marks. Do not overcook, may only take a minute each side. Alpaca should be medium rare. Remove meat from pan and place on top of pineapple, then put the top bun on. Secure with a frilly toothpick or knife to hold together.