Corn and Pepper Empanada with Avocado and Red Pepper Cream

Prep Time:  35 minutes   |    Cook Time:  25  minutes   |    Total Time:  1 hour   |    Yields:  30 empanadas

Ingredients:

• 10 cloves garlic
• 3 cups plus 1 teaspoon  Carlini  Vegetable Oil, divided
• 4 ears corn
• 6 jalapeños
• 2 red bell peppers
• ¾ cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 5 tablespoons lime juice, divided
• 10 ounces  Pueblo Lindo  Fresco Cheese, crumbled, divided
• 1½ cups  Happy Farms  Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
• 1 teaspoon  Stonemill  Ground Cumin
• 4½ teaspoons  Stonemill  Iodized Salt, divided, plus additional to taste
• 1¼ teaspoons  Stonemill  Ground Black Pepper, divided, plus additional to taste
• 4 cups  Pueblo Lindo  Instant Corn Masa Mix
• 2½ cups warm water
• ½ cup  Friendly Farms  Sour Cream, divided
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup  Friendly Farms  Half and Half
• 8 ounces  Little Salad Bar  Original Guacamole

Directions:    

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Place the garlic on a sheet of foil, drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and wrap tightly. Place on grill pan. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft, rotating frequently. Remove and reserve.
3. Add the corn. Grill until cooked through, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the jalapeños and red bell peppers. Cook, turning frequently, until charred. Remove and reserve.
5. Allow the garlic, corn and peppers to cool to the touch. Mash the garlic. Cut the corn off the cobs. Remove the stem and seeds from the jalapeños and bell peppers. Reserve one bell pepper, chop the remaining peppers.
6. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, corn, chopped peppers, ½ cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, half the fresco cheese, mozzarella cheese, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper.
7. In a large bowl, combine the masa, water and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into 30 equal balls. Using a tortilla press lined with plastic, or using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into 4-inch rounds.
8. Equally divide the filling in the center of each disc, about 1 tablespoon. Fold the discs around the filling and press edges together to seal.
9. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 cups oil. Fry the empanadas until golden, about 1 minute per side. Reserve.
10. In a blender, combine the remaining bell pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ¼ cup sour cream, red onion and remaining half fresco cheese. Blend until smooth. Serve with empanadas.
11. In a blender, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup cilantro, half and half and guacamole. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with empanadas.

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Michelle, ALDI Test Kitchen