Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for P.A.N. Cornmeal. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Over the summer I’ve made a few recipes that include one of my favorite pantry staples, P.A.N. Cornmeal. I shared a delicious dessert recipe for a nectarine and plum cobbler using cornmeal that was a twist on a classic dessert. I also shared a fun breakfast recipe for cornbread battered breakfast bites with sausage and egg that my kids just loved! I decided to make a more traditional recipe for the P.A.N. Cornmeal since it’s the number one cornmeal in South America. Although arepas is a classic Venezuelan specialty, I’ve added a few spins to it to create my own special sandwich using the arepas recipe found on the back of every P.A.N. Cornmeal package. You can find even more recipes on the P.A.N. Tumblr page too!
I had some steak leftover from when we made it on the grill a few nights ago, so I decided to dice it up and heat it up in some green enchilada sauce for a bit of extra flavor and then melt some mozzarella on top with a few squeezes of lime. Slice open the arepa, add some lettuce, tomato and avocado with a few shakes of pepper. That’s really it! Oh, but can I tell you just how flavorful this little sandwich is? The arepa is golden and delicious and really goes well with the flavors in the meat, cheese and vegetables. It’s the perfect quick lunch for summertime or when you’re short on time and need to serve up some food quick. The fact that the arepas recipe makes 10 arepas is delightful, because even though each sandwich is only one serving you’re sure to be reaching for seconds!
Arepas Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 cups white P.A.N. Cornmeal
- 1 teasalt
- non-stick cooking spray
Steak Arepas Sandwich Ingredients:
- prepared arepas
- 1 cup leftover (precooked) boneless thin cut steak, diced
- 1/4 cup green enchilada sauce
- 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 lime
- 1/2 cup chopped lettuce
- 1 Roma tomato, sliced
- 1-2 dashes of pepper
- 1/2 small avocado
Directions:
Start with a large mixing bowl and fill with the measured water.
Combine the cornmeal and salt.
Then slowly add to the water. Once fully added to the water, slowly knead the mixture until it begins to form a dough.
Form the dough into a ball and let sit for about 3 minutes.
Separate dough into 10 balls of the same size, then press to flatten them into a disc about 10 inches flat.
Spray a griddle with non stick cooking spray, and set to 300 degrees and brown the arepas for 5 minutes on each side.
Once browned, remove from griddle and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Add 1 cup of precooked diced steak to a saute pan and heat.
Add green enchilada sauce and combine until most of the sauce is dissolved in the meat.
Immediately remove from heat, then sprinkle with cheese. Squeeze lime over the top then cover pan to let the cheese melt.
Slice an arepa in half and add a few pieces of lettuce to one side, then top with three thin slices of tomato and a few dashes of pepper. Add three slices of avocado to the other half of the arepa.
Carefully spoon the meat with melted cheese on top of the tomato.
Then put the other half on top with the avocado slices on top of the meat.
Serve and enjoy!
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 cups white P.A.N. Cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- non-stick cooking spray
- prepared arepas
- 1 cup leftover (precooked) boneless thin cut steak, diced
- ¼ cup green enchilada sauce
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 lime
- ½ cup chopped lettuce
- 1 Roma tomato, sliced
- 1-2 dashes of pepper
- ½ small avocado
- Start with a large mixing bowl and fill with the measured water.
- Combine the cornmeal and salt.
- Then slowly add to the water. Once fully added to the water, slowly knead the mixture until it begins to form a dough.
- Form the dough into a ball and let sit for about 3 minutes.
- Separate dough into 10 balls of the same size, then press to flatten them into a disc about 10 inches flat.
- Spray a griddle with non stick cooking spray, and set to 300 degrees and brown the arepas for 5 minutes on each side.
- Once browned, remove from griddle and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add 1 cup of precooked diced steak to a saute pan and heat.
- Add green enchilada sauce and combine until most of the sauce is dissolved in the meat.
- Immediately remove from heat, then sprinkle with cheese. Squeeze lime over the top then cover pan to let the cheese melt.
- Slice an arepa in half and add a few pieces of lettuce to one side, then top with three thin slices of tomato and a few dashes of pepper. Add three slices of avocado to the other half of the arepa.
- Carefully spoon the meat with melted cheese on top of the tomato.
- Then put the other half on top with the avocado slices on top of the meat.
- Serve and enjoy!
