Fare exchange
Recipes you’ve requested from Australia’s leading restaurants.
“I’d love to make San Telmo’s empanadas at home. Would you please ask for the recipe?” Pam Winters, Albert Park, Vic
Beef and chorizo empanadas with chimichurri Prep time 1 hr, cook 45 mins (plus resting, cooling, chilling)
Makes about 18
35 gm (1¾ tbsp) duck fat 375 gm (2½ cups) plain flour, sieved ¾ tsp baking powder 1 (100gm) fresh chorizo 250 gm coarsely minced beef 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ½ onion, finely chopped ½ red capsicum, seeded and finely chopped 40 gm ( 1/ cup) frozen peas 3 1 tbsp pickled guindilla chillies, finely chopped (see note) 1 spring onion, thinly sliced 2 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp ground cinnamon Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Chimichurri
1 long red chilli, coarsely chopped 1 garlic clove, bruised 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1½ tbsp dried oregano 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 For dough, warm fat and 180ml water in a small saucepan until fat melts. Mix flour, baking powder and 1½ tsp fine sea salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add fat mixture and knead until dough comes together (2-3 minutes). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill (1 hour). 2 Preheat oven to 170C and line a baking tray with foil. Split chorizo lengthways and roast on tray until just cooked through (10-15 minutes). Cool on tray (10 minutes), then chop into 1cm dice, reserving juices. Increase oven to 250C. Spread beef on a baking tray lined with foil and roast until lightly caramelised (8-10 minutes).
Cool for 10 minutes
3 Heat olive oil in a saucepan over high heat, add onion and capsicum and fry until starting to brown, then reduce heat to low and sauté until tender (8-10 minutes).
4 Combine peas, guindillas, spring onion and spices in a bowl, add chorizo, pan juices and beef, season to taste and refrigerate to cool mixture completely (30-40 minutes).
5 Divide dough into 18 pieces and roll out to 12cm rounds. Place a tablespoonful of beef mixture on the centre of each, lightly moisten edges with water and fold pastry over filling to form a half moon. Starting at a corner, squash a small section of pastry, lightly stretch it out and fold over, then repeat along edge to create a rope effect, folding last piece of seam under. Place empanadas on lightly floured trays and cover with a tea towel.
6 For chimichurri, pound chilli and garlic with a mortar and pestle to a paste, then mix in remaining ingredients, 2 tsp sea salt flakes and 2 tsp cracked black pepper.
7 Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 180C. Deep-fry empanadas in batches until golden and crisp
(3-5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, then serve with chimichurri. Note Pickled guindilla chillies are available from Spanish food stores. “I need a fresh take on Taco Tuesdays and I think Ghostboy Cantina’s pork with salsa roja might be the answer.” Alessandra Aiello, Leichhardt, NSW
Pork tacos with salsa roja and nashi
Start this recipe a day ahead to marinate the pork.
Prep time 30 mins, cook 40 mins (plus soaking, marinating, resting)
Makes 8 (pictured p26) 2 boneless 1.5cm-thick pork steaks (300gm each), from shoulder or neck 1 tbsp sunflower oil 16 Chinese pancakes (see note) 1 nashi pear, julienned on a mandolin ½ white onion, finely chopped Thai basil, coriander and limes, to serve
Salsa roja
3 dried guajillo chillies (see note), stem and seeds removed 1 dried chipotle chillies (see note), stem and seeds removed2 ripe Roma tomatoes ¼ unpeeled onion 1 large garlic clove, unpeeled 1 tsp olive oil 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 For salsa roja, soak dried chillies in a bowl of boiling water until softened (1 hour). Preheat oven to 250C. Combine tomatoes, onion and garlic on an oven tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil and roast until lightly charred and softened (20-25 minutes). Cool, then peel tomatoes, onion and garlic. Drain chillies (discard liquid), place in a food processor along with tomato, onion, garlic, vinegar and 1 tsp sea salt flakes and process until smooth.
2 Place steaks in a bowl or ziplock bag with
½ cup salsa roja so pork is coated and refrigerate to marinate (at least 1 hour or overnight).
3 Heat ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan over mediumhigh heat, add pork, fry, turning once, until slightly charred and just cooked through (4-5 minutes each side; the salsa will char, adding smokiness and flavour). Rest steaks (5-6 minutes), then slice across the grain.
4 Meanwhile, heat ¼ tsp oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Stack 2 pancakes together and toast in pan until starting to crisp on the outside and light-brown spots have appeared
(45 seconds each side; the pancakes steam against each other and become soft and chewy inside and slightly crisp outside). Repeat with remaining oil and pancakes, keeping cooked pancakes warm under a clean tea towel.
5 Divide pork between double pancakes, scatter with pear, onion and herbs, drizzle with remaining salsa roja to taste and serve with lime wedges. Note Chinese pancakes, commonly served with Peking duck, are available frozen from Asian supermarkets. Dried guajillo and chipotle chillies are available from The Essential Ingredient and Mexican food suppliers such as Monterey Mexican Foods (montereyfoods.com.au).
“The chicken mole at Mamasita is a favourite. Would they reveal their secret?” Robert Pappas, Collingwood, Vic
Chicken mole Prep time 30 mins, cook 1 hr (plus soaking)
Serves 4
1 (1.6kg) chicken, at room temperature Olive oil, for rubbing 2 each small dried ancho and guajillo chillies (see note) 1½ tbsp olive oil ½ onion, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1½ tsp sesame seeds ½ tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dried oregano 1/ tsp ground cloves 8 ¼ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp ground coriander 1 small bay leaf, very finely chopped 200 ml chicken stock (see note) 2 tsp red wine vinegar 30 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped Lime juice, toasted sesame seeds, sliced chilli and coriander, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 200C and line an oven tray with baking paper. Place chicken on tray, season well inside and out, then rub with olive oil. Roast until juices run clear when thickest part of the thigh is pierced (1-1¼ hours). Rest for 15 minutes.
2 Toast chillies in a frying pan over medium heat until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Discard stems, coarsely chop chillies and transfer to a bowl.
Cover with boiling water (about 180ml) and set aside for 20 minutes to soften.
3 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and sauté gently until translucent (4-5 minutes). Add sesame seeds and cook until lightly toasted (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a blender. Drain chillies, reserving soaking water and add to blender along with herbs, spices, bay leaf and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and purée, adding just enough soaking liquid, a little at a time, to form a smooth paste.
4 Place remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add chilli paste and fry, stirring continuously, until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Add stock and vinegar, bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens slightly (20-30 minutes). Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted (1-1½ minutes). Season to taste with salt and a pinch of caster sugar.
5 Cut chicken into 4. To serve, pour mole over chicken pieces, season with lime juice to taste and scatter with sesame seeds, chilli and coriander. Note Dried ancho and guajillo chillies are available from Mexican food shops Monterey Mexican Foods (montereyfoods.com.au), Herbies Spices and The Essential Ingredient. At Mamasita, the chefs use corn stock for the mole; to make your own, remove the kernels from the cobs and simmer cobs in water. “I adore this divine flan from El Público and would love to recreate it at my next dinner party.” Helen Carruthers, Subiaco, WA
Holy trinity flans with candied chilli and chocolate crumb
Start this recipe a day ahead to dry the candied chilli and allow the flan to set.
Prep time 35 mins, cook 1 hr (plus infusing, drying, resting, chilling)
Makes 6 (pictured p27)
450 ml full cream milk
250 ml (1 cup) evaporated milk
200 ml condensed milk
4 eggs
Scraped seeds from ½ vanilla bean Finely grated rind of ¼ orange
200 gm caster sugar
Candied chilli
100 gm caster sugar
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced
Chocolate crumb
35 gm (¼ cup) masa flour (see note) 1¼ tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder, sieved 1 tbsp caster sugar 30 gm unsalted butter, softened
1 Combine milks in a large bowl. Add eggs, vanilla seeds and rind and whisk together. Cover and leave to infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes. 2 Lightly butter six 220ml metal pudding moulds. Scatter sugar evenly in a large frying pan and cook over high heat, swirling pan occasionally, until melted, then stir with a spatula until deep caramel (4-6 minutes). Divide caramel among moulds and set aside to harden (20-30 minutes). 3 Preheat oven to 160C. Divide custard mixture among moulds and place moulds in a deep roasting pan lined with a tea towel. Fill pan with boiling water to three-quarters up the sides of moulds, cover with foil and bake until set with a slight wobble (40-45 minutes). Remove from pan, cool completely, then refrigerate overnight to set. 4 For candied chilli, bring half the sugar and 100ml water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add chilli and boil until starting to become translucent (4-5 minutes). Strain, reserve chilli and discard the syrup, and repeat with remaining sugar and 100ml water, boiling until chilli is translucent
(4-5 minutes). Strain chilli (discard syrup) and spread on a tray lined with baking paper. Leave in a warm place to dry (8-12 hours). Store in an airtight container.
5 For chocolate crumb, combine flour, cocoa and sugar in a bowl. Rub in butter, then roll dough between 2 pieces of baking paper to 3mm thick. Remove top sheet of baking paper and bake dough, mixing with a fork occasionally, until crumbly and cooked (15-20 minutes).
6 To serve, turn flans out onto plates and top with chocolate crumb and candied chilli.
Note Masa flour is available from Mexican food suppliers (see note at left) and The Essential Ingredient.