from Sendero at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles

Barbacoa Tacos & Mushroom Empanadas

Serves 4

Barbacoa Tacos 
(makes up to 8 tacos)

12 oz of fully cooked barbacoa in braising liquid (premium boneless short rib, garlic, thyme, peppercorn, guajillo pepper, ancho pepper, chipotle in adobo, achiote paste, apple cider vinegar, onion, oregano, cumin, clove, bay leaf, vegetable and beef broth)

8 par-cooked, handmade blue corn tortillas

2 ounces molcajete sauce (tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeno, olive oil)

2 ounces salsa verde (tomatillo, onion, serrano pepper, garlic, lime)

2 ounces pickled red pearl onion (red pearl onion, beet, hibiscus flower, lime)

2 ounces salsa macha sauce (pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, white sesame seed, morita chile, shallot, garlic, coriander, apple cider vinegar, tamari sauce)

1 bag of fresh tortilla chips

1 lime for garnish

Cilantro for garnish

Radish for garnish

Mushroom Empanadas
(makes 6 empanadas)

9.5 ounces mushroom filling (white mushroom, green mushroom, red bell pepper, corn meal, onion, parsley, garlic)

6 handmade pastry dough wrappers (grapeseed oil, flour)

2 ounces chimichurri (parsley, oregano, sherry vinegar, garlic)

2 ounces criollo sauce (parsley, bell pepper, onion, tomato, garlic, red wine vinegar)

You’ll also need:

Kitchenware

Knife or scissors

A steel pan and an additional cast iron skillet

A spatula and 3 forks

Cutting board or clean counter surface

Sheet tray

Small bowl

Medium bowl

2 large dinner spoons

Cloth napkin (optional)

Pastry brush (optional)

Small spoons for sauces (optional)

Ingredients

1 egg

2 ounces water or stock

Note: Feel free to improvise with what you have at home

Use your meal kit ingredients within three days of delivery. If not cooking immediately, store all ingredients except the tortilla chips in your fridge until you’re ready to start.

If the barbacoa is still frozen upon receipt, make sure it defrosts in the refrigerator for about 6 hours before cooking. Remove ingredients from the fridge 15 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking.

You'll be making the Empanadas before the Barbacoa.

Making the Empanadas

1. Preheat your oven to 375˚F.
2. Empty the mushroom empanada filling into a bowl and divide the mixture into 6 equal servings.
3. In a small bowl, create an egg wash by beating the egg with a fork. Set aside.
4. Place the cold empanada pastry dough sheets on your cutting board.
5. Place a spoonful of stuffing in the middle of each pastry dough sheet. Salt to taste.
6. Brush egg wash on the edges and then fold over the pastry dough to join the edges to form a half moon. Press the dough together to remove any air between the filling and the dough and to seal the edges.
7. Using a fork, lightly press all the way around the empanada from the edge to where the stuffing ends.
8. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, lightly brush the egg wash on each empanada.
9. Spray your sheet tray with non-stick oil and place your empanadas on the tray. Place the tray in the 375˚F oven for 12-15 minutes.

Making the Barbacoa for the Tacos

1. Heat a stainless steel pan to medium heat.
2. Cut open the package with the fully cooked barbacoa, careful not to lose any liquid, and place the contents in the pan.
3. Add 2 oz of water or beef stock. The additional water helps to reconstitute the sauce and helps so that the barbacoa won’t burn or stick to the pan.
4. Cook the barbacoa for about 2 ½ minutes on each side.

Warming the Tortillas for the Tacos

1. 1. Heat up a cast iron pan or flat top on medium high and make sure the pan is hot.
2. The tortillas have been partially cooked, so they will warm up quickly. Place the tortillas on the pan. Warm the tortilla for about 30 seconds on each side.
3. Once you flip the tortilla, move back to the barbacoa and turn over the meat to the other side for 2 1/2 minutes. If it looks like the sauce has reduced too much, add a little water or stock.
4. Once the tortillas are warm, remove them from the pan and place in a loosely wrapped cloth napkin.
5. To check if the barbacoa has heated through, you can use a fork to make sure it’s fork tender.
   

Plating the Barbacoa

1. Set the sauces out and slice the lime and radish.
2. Plate the barbacoa in tortillas. Garnish with the sauces, cilantro, sliced radish and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

Plating the Empanadas

1. After 12-15 minutes in the oven, remove the empanadas and serve with chimichurri sauce and classic Argentinian criolla sauce.
2. We’ve also provided some homemade tortilla chips and salsa macha.