The Carlos Gardel Restaurant
used to be on Columbia Street in Washington,
DC. My parents took us there after Sunday excursions to
the Smithsonian, or Saturday shopping trips. We often stayed
for hours, my parents chatting with the owner and whoever else
dropped by, my brother, sister, and I chasing around the wooden
chairs and tables. I remember it as dim and somewhat stuffy.
Until I prepared the reception food for the recent wedding
of our friends, Phil and Janet, my memories of the Carlos Gardel
remained in an equally dim and stuffy place. I made various
sorts of empanadas (turnovers). As I filled what seemed to be
the 500th picadillo empanada, I suddenly thought of the Gardel.
When our interest in running around the place waned, my dad
always placed an order for another round of empanadas de picadillo.
I adored them, and my brother and sister stayed busy picking
out the raisins. Picadillo also appears as a filling for tacos
and chiles rellenos, or served plain, with rice.
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2 lbs. lean ground beef
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1 small onion, diced
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4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
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1 medium potato, diced
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1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped
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1 small, tart apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and diced
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16 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes,
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or three fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
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1 or 2 minced fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers
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1/2 c. raisins--I prefer golden raisins
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1/4 c. pimiento stuffed olives, cut in half
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1/8 tsp. cinnamon
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1/8 tsp. ground cloves
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1/2 tsp. crumbled oregano
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1/4 c. slivered almonds
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olive oil
Brown the beef with the onions, potato, and garlic in a skillet.
When thoroughly brown, add all of the remaining ingredients
EXCEPT the almonds. Stir, and cook for twenty minutes. As the
meat mixture cooks, heat a small, heavy skillet over a low flame.
Pour in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the heated
skillet.
When the oil releases its fragrance, add the almonds. Stir
fry until golden. Remove the pan from heat, and drain the almonds
briefly on paper towels. Sprinkle the almonds into the meat
mixture, and serve.
If you want to make empanadas, mix up a batch of your favorite
pie crust dough, and roll it out. Cut circles 3"-5" in diameter.
Fill each circle with 3-4 tsps. of picadillo. Pinch the edges
of the circles together to seal, prick lightly once or twice
with the tines of a fork, and brush with a light coating of
egg white. Bake at 375 until pale gold, about 25-30 minutes.
When Janet's dad tried the picadillo empanadas at the wedding,
he said they tasted just like the Cornish meat pies, called
pasties, that his family made when he was a boy. Empanadas are
wonderful appetizers or food-on-the run, since you eat them
straight from your hands. Plus, they freeze well. |
