Game Day Treats- "Deviled Eggs", Apple Empanadas

I am REALLY siked about this entry because both of these snacks came out great the first time around and the deviled eggs are downright amazing. I don't mean to toot my own horn here but veganizing something like a deviled egg seems pretty absurd. Not only did I do it, but they taste exactly like I remember....EXACTLY! The trick to these "eggs" are in one secret ingredient: black salt.

Tiny yukon gold potatoes cooked with black salt until tender and stuffed with a smooth puree of veganaise, dill, scallion, olive oil and dijon. Tender flaky puffs of fried dough filled with caramel apples dusted in cinnamon and sugar while still hot.

"Deviled Eggs"
12 small yukon golds, peeled and halved
1 heaping tbl black salt**
1/2 cup veganaise
2 tbl olive oil
1 tbl turmeric
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 scallions, minced, green parts only
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
paprika for dusting

Combine the potatoes, black salt and cold water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender but not falling apart. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Combine the remaining ingredients except the paprika in a food processor and puree until smooth.
Scoop out a small hole in each potato and add that potato to the food processor. Puree until smooth.
Pipe each potato with filling and dust with paprika.

**Black salt can be found at specialty food stores like Whole Foods. It has a very sulfuric quality and actually sort of smells like rotten eggs. I have had a container of it in my cabinet for months now and never knew what the heck to use it with. Once I decided to try to make deviled eggs, it only made sense to try to impart some of that flavor into the potatoes. I really believe that these would definitely not taste as true to the taste without this secret ingredient.


Apple Empanadas
Dough-
3 cups ap flour
4 tsp organic sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbl baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer
pinch of salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold and cubed
3/4 cup cold water

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, egg replacer and salt in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the shortening and pulse until the shortening is in pea shaped pieces. Add the water, a little at a time until the dough just comes together. Toss out on the counter and lightly knead the dough together into a cohesive ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Filling-
3 large fuji apples, peeled and thinly diced
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
canola oil for frying
1/2 cup organic sugar
1 tbl cinnamon

In a shallow pan, bring the apples and water to a simmer. Cook until just tender. Add the cinnamon, salt and sugar and saute over medium heat until caramelized, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and set the mixture aside to cool.

Assembly-
Preheat a pot of oil to 360.
Roll out the dough very thinly. Cut out 5-6" circles. Brush the edges of the circles with water and put a small spoonful of filling in the center. Bring the circle together and press until completely closed. Use a fork to crimp the edges shut.
Fry for 6 minutes until golden brown. Transfer from the oil to the cinnamon sugar without draining the oil off first. Toss in the sugar then transfer to a paper towel to drain. Serve hot or at room temperature.