Oyster Mushroom and Corn Empanadas with Charred Poblano and Pumpkin Seed Sauce Recipe

As summer fades, we have the perfect recipe to transition you to your favorite fall flavors. This savory dish combines oyster mushrooms, poblano peppers, and pumpkin seeds for a protein packed vegetarian meal that is sure to please.

Recipe adapted from Shrooms by Becky Selengut

Serves 2-4 (makes 10 empanadas)

Dough:
2 cups maseca (corn flour)
1¼ cups warm water
¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh oyster mushrooms, base trimmed and torn into small, bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup small yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
½ teaspoon ground chili powder (to taste)
1 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped to make ⅓ cup, stems reserved for sauce, reserve some leaves for garnish

1 cup thawed frozen corn
¼ pound oaxaca cheese
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Charred poblano and pumpkin seed sauce:
1 poblano chili
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
Stems from cilantro bunch
½ cup canola oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
2 dashes of your choice of hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF
2. Make the Dough

• Mix the maseca (corn flour), water, and salt together in a medium bowl. It should come together fairly easily; be slightly sticky, and not fall aprt at all. If it seems dry, add a little more water. Divide it into 10 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls. Put them on a plate and cover with a damp cotton towel to prevent them from drying out. Place a ball between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place under a tortilla press or squish teh balls into flat rounds by pressing down on them with a skillet or flat dish. Whether by tortilla press or other means, once the ball has been squished into a 5- to 6-inch round, pull the top pice of plastic off and reuse for the next ball. Lay the pressed dough (on its piece of plastic wrap) to the side. Place the already used piece of plastic down on the press, sandwich a new ball between it, and a new piece of plastic. Press out another round. Place the next round on top of the first, so that there is plastic or waxed paper between each round. Repeat to form all the rounds. Cover with a lightly damp towel.

 3. Make the Filling

• Line a baking pan with aluminium foil and pur 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the foil. Toss the mushrooms in the oil, spread out in a single layer, and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Roast in the oven until brown in parts and slightly crispy on the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once during the cooking process. Let cool, and chop the mushrooms into medium dice.
• In a large skilet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion with the reamining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned and soft. Add the garlic, tomato, and chipotle chili powder to the pan and continue cooking over medium-high heat until all of the moisture is gone, 6 to 8 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro leaves, roasted mushrooms, corn kernels, and corn “milk,” and sauté for 1 more minute. Cool slightly before stirring in the cheese. Store in the fridge until you are ready to form the empanadas.

  4. Form the Empanadas

• Picking up a masa round on its piece of plastic, lay it on your hand like a taco. Place 2 tablespoons of filling on one side of the round, leaving a little room to brush a small amount of egg wash on the edges of just the side the fillis is on. Using the plastic to help you, fold the empanada over on itself. Through the plastic, pinch the sides to seal. Set aside, still in its plastic cover, on a tray covered with a lightly damp towel. Repeat until all the empanadas are formed. You might have some extra filling left over; which you can use in an omelette the next day or for impromptu nachos. 

    5. Make the Sauce

• Char the poblano over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened. Transfer the chile to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to trap the steam, about 15 minutes. Pell, into a blender or food processor along wiht the pumpkin seeds, cilantro stems, canola oil, red wine vinegar, honey, hot sauce, and salt. Blend until smooth. Seaston to taste

     6. Bake or Fry the Empanadas

• To bake the empanadas, arrange the empanadas on a baking pan ½ inch apart and bake until lightly brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• To fry the empanadas, heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350ºF to 360ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Slip 2 empanadas into the oil at a time (or as many as will comfortably fit in your skillet). Fry on both sides until brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.

     7. Serve

• Lay the empanadas on a platter, and garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve with the poblano and pumpkin seed sauce.