This recipe will require a bit of prep work, but it is well worth the effort! For this recipe, you will need two pounds of diced onions (you can often find bags in the frozen food section or dice them yourself), shallots, garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, vegetable shortening, one green bell pepper, one red bell pepper, fresh parsley leaves, vegetable stock, Portobello mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, squash, broccoli, fresh spinach, one 8 ounce can of creamed corn, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, one 8 ounce can of mixed vegetables, dried oregano, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, a dozen Empanada dough disks, and eggs.
To prep for this recipe, you will need to chop enough shallots and parsley to make 1 1/2 tablespoons each, enough garlic for 1 tablespoon, enough fresh spinach to make 8 ounces and enough Portobello mushrooms to make 4 ounces. You will need to dice enough zucchini, carrots, and broccoli to make 4 ounces each. Also, chop your green and red bell pepper. You will need 1 1/2 tablespoons of each.
Place 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 pounds of diced onions, 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped shallots, and 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic. Let this cook until soft, but don’t let it get brown.
Reduce the heat and add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 3 tablespoons of mixed green and red bell peppers, 1 1/2 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 3 tablespoons of vegetable stock, and 4 ounces of chopped Portobello mushrooms.
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add 4 ounces of diced carrots, 4 ounces of diced zucchini, 4 ounces of diced squash, and 8 ounces of diced broccoli. Cook until the vegetables are done, but still firm. Add the 8 ounces of fresh spinach and let that heat for a few minutes. Drain the vegetables and put them in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again when cool.
Put the vegetables back in the pot with the 8 ounce can of creamed corn. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well then place the pot in the refrigerator and let it chill for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Lay one Empanada disk on the parchment paper and place 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture in the middle of it. Wet the edges slightly and fold in half. Be sure to seal the ends together well by pressing your thumb and index finger together to make curls or by using a fork to seal the edges. Continue until the other Empanada disks are filled and sealed. Beat two large egg yolks in a bowl and brush each Empanada with the yolk. Cook for 23 to 30 minutes until golden brown.