Welcome to Week Two of the Mushrooms Masters: A Tournament of Taste!
If you haven’t read about it already, Canada was able to capture Gold in last weeks Portabella Playoff thanks to Angela’s mouthwatering recipe for stuffed portabellas. And I don’t mean to gloat, but we won by a landslide!! Canada received over 80% of the vote! So let’s keep that Canadian momentum going into this weeks challenge…
The Button Battle
Representing Canada this week is Jeannette from Everybody Likes Sandwiches with her delicious Button Mushroom Empanada recipe. She’s up against some stiff competition – Maggie from Pithy and Clever (US) and Ellie from Kitchen Wench (AUS).
Jeannette Ordas likes to make stuff. From designing websites (her day job) to illustrating greeting cards (her hobby) to creating kick-ass meals for her friends, she’s happiest when she’s facing a challenge. Empty fridge? Bare cupboards? No worries, Jeannette can probably whip up something crazy-delicious and she’s got proof: check out her food blog, Everybody Likes Sandwiches, for simple, no-fuss recipes.
Mushroom Empanadas
These tasty bites make a great hors d’oeuvres or a light supper when eaten alongside a green salad. They can be prepped the night before you plan on serving them (just bake them the next day) and they also reheat well.
Empanada dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening, cold & cut into cubes
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Combine flours and salt in a large bowl and stir. Add shortening and use your fingers to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the ice water and add in the vinegar. Slowly pour into the flour mixture and use a fork to gently incorporate it. Gently knead the dough until it comes together into a ball – two or three times should do it.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Mushroom filling:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, minced
1/4 cup of fresh thyme, stems removed
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced & roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of white wine
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until soft. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the ingredients start to turn golden and fragrant. Add wine, stirring, until it evaporates. Turn down heat and add cream, stirring until it absorbs into the mixture. Remove from heat and let cool.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Use a 3 1/2-inch circle cutter to cut out circles of dough. Scraps can be collected, re-rolled and cut into circles.
Place about a teaspoon of the mushroom mixture onto each circle, topping with some cheese, while leaving a half-inch border around the filling. Brush the egg wash on the empty side of the circle and fold dough over to create a semi-circle. Use a fork to press the edges tightly together. Brush the egg wash over the tops of all of the completed empanadas and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment or silpat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown and flaky. Let cool slightly before serving. Makes 18 empanadas.
Heavenly!!
Head on over to
Tastepotting to vote for Jeannette’s Button Mushroom Empanada Recipe now!
TIP: You can follow the contest by subscribing to Mushrooms Canada’s Blog Feed.
Just click here to sign up! You don’t want to miss this contest!
