Savory seafood empanadas encased in a flaky dough that can be baked or fried. Try these with a mix of crab and shrimp.

Many years ago while working at the farmers' market, I'd head over to a long-forgotten Brazilian food stand and get shrimp empanadas (they certainly had another name) with a yellow pepper sauce that I can remember vividly to this day.

These empanadas here are a more traditional style (and this dough can be used for any sweet or savory empanada), filled with crab, shrimp, corn, peppers and a bit of cream cheese to bind and add some richness. You can easily use all shrimp, or substitute leftover cooked crawfish tails for the crab. The creamy pepper sauce is an emulsion similar to a standard taqueria-style jalapeño salsa of cooked sweet peppers, onion, garlic and olive oil, enlivened with a little vinegar.

Makes 12 empanadas

2 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 small sweet pepper, finely diced

1 cup shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 ears corn, kernels only (about ¾ cup corn)

Salt and pepper 

¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature

Juice and zest of 1 lime

½ bunch cilantro or parsley, chopped

1 cup picked crab meat

1 recipe empanada dough

Fat or oil for frying, or olive oil if baking

Melt the butter in a medium pan. Add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender. Add the shrimp and corn and continue to cook until the shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Allow to cool. Add the cream cheese, juice and zest and fresh herbs and stir to combine. Check the seasoning again, then stir in the crab meat gently to avoid breaking it up too much.

Cut the dough into 3 ounce portions and roll into small rounds.

Have ready a small bowl of water. Roll each ball into an even 6 inch round on an unfloured surface. Brush the edge with the water.

Place 4 tbsp of filling on the center of each round. Fold both edges up and pinch them together in the middle. Working towards the ends, pinch the empanada closed around the filling. 

Fold the pinched edge over onto itself with a series of tiny folds, or seal by pressing the edges closed with the tines of a fork. Cook immediately or freeze for later use.

To fry:

Fry the empanadas in 350°F lard, tallow or oil for 5-7 minutes, or until golden and hot throughout. Drain on paper towels or a rack and serve hot or room temperature.

To bake:

Brush the empanadas with olive oil, or a thin egg wash made from a well-beaten egg mixed with a little milk. Bake in a 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden.

Sauce

1 large red, yellow or gold bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 red jalapeño, halved and seeded (optional)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salt

Combine the pepper, onion, garlic, optional jalapeño, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt in a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pepper is very tender and soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Strain the solids from the pot, reserving all of the liquid. Puree the solids, adding some of the cooking liquid back in, skimming the surface to collect the olive oil. Add enough liquid to make a very smooth, silky puree, about the consistency of thin paint. The sauce will thicken as it cools. 

Season with the vinegar and more salt to taste. This will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator.