Empanadas, Québec-style

Second prize winner of the Concours Plat National 2014 – Jean-Talon Market.
Ingredients
DOUGH
- Empanada discs or store-bought or home-made pastry dough (see below)
- 800 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 300 g butter
- ½ cup water
QUÉBEC VEGIE
- 330 g fiddleheads
- 10 asparagus spears
- 300 g white mushrooms, slivered
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 100 g of aged cheddar, cubed
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
THREE MEATS
- 300 g cubed pork
- 200 g cubed wapiti (elk)
- 200 g cubed bison
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large potatoes, cubed
- 1 large onions, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp cumin
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
Preparation
1 egg: separate the white from the yolk
VEGETABLE STUFFING
- Rinse the fiddleheads, boil them for 10 min., drain. Sauté the minced garlic and fiddleheads in some butter in a frying pan. Add the slivered mushrooms and brown them for 10 to 15 min. Set aside.
- Steam the asparagus spears for 10 to 15 min. then purée them with a knob of butter. Salt, pepper and set aside.
- Cut the cheese into small cubes.
THREE MEAT STUFFING
- Boil the cubed potatoes until tender. Set aside.
- Cut all the meat into small cubes. Sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil. Add the meat. Brown for 10 min. Add the herbs, spices and diced onion.
- Add the potatoes and let the mixture cool completely.
FINAL STEP
- Place some of the stuffing in the centre of each empanada disc.
- Moisten the edges with some egg white, fold it over, and pinch the edges closed. Finish by crimping the edges with a fork.
- Brush with egg yolk.
- Place the empanadas on a baking sheet, either greased or covered with parchment paper, and bake for 15 to 20 min. at 350°F.