Tacos, Tostadas & Sopes

Colorado Chile Short Rib Volcanes

Colorado Chile Short Rib Volcanes
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5 from 2 votes

Colorado Chile Short Rib Volcanes

Colorado Chile Short Rib Volcanes recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 13, Episode 5 “Cowboy Life”
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cheese, chile colorado, corn tortillas, ribs
Servings: 8 to 10 volcanes
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your grill or set your grill pan over medium heat.
  • Brush the corn tortillas with water and sprinkle with salt to taste on both sides. Place on the grill and toast for a couple minutes on one side. Remove and top the toasted side with 3-4 tablespoons grated cheese, then place back on the grill cheese side up. Toast until the cheese melts and the tortillas become crusty and browned.
  • Transfer to a platter, top with a generous amount of diced short ribs, and let your guests top with guacamole to their liking.

Notes

Volcanes de Costillas en Chile Colorado

Egg Scramble with Greens, Chiles, Scallions and Tomato

Egg Scramble with Greens, Chiles, Scallions and Tomato
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Egg Scramble with Greens, Chiles, Scallions and Tomato

Egg Scramble with Greens, Chiles, Scallions and Tomato recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 13, Episode 9 “Hidden Guachochi”
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chile, Eggs, Tomato
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound quelite leaves and tender part of stems such as purslane, amaranth leaves, chepil or chipilín, romeritos, chaya, or huauzontle, or can substitute for tender watercress or baby spinach (it can also be a combination)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 fresh chile verde such as chilaca, Anaheim, California, New Mexico or Hatch, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño stemmed and finely chopped
  • 8 scallions white and light green parts thinly sliced
  • ½ pound ripe plum tomatoes cored and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper divided
  • 8 large eggs
  • Chopped chives for garnish
  • Warm corn or flour tortillas
  • Ripe avocado slices

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the quelites or greens, press down into the water and cook for just a minute. Pour into a large colander and completely drain.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the chiles verdes, jalapeño, and scallions, and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking until they become a bit pasty and darken in color, about 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, press the greens with the back of a wooden spoon to press out excess liquid. Transfer to a chopping board and chop. Add the greens to the chile verde mix, along with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is not wet anymore.
  • Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Pour the eggs into the skillet with the greens and scramble until the eggs are set and tender, about 3-5 minutes depending on how you like your eggs. Garnish with the chives.
  • Serve with warm corn or flour tortillas and ripe avocado slices.

Notes

Huevo con Quelites, Chiles, Cebollitas y Jitomate

Chihuahua-Style Barbacoa

Chihuahua Style Barbacoa
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5 from 4 votes

Chihuahua-Style Barbacoa

Chihuahua-Style Barbacoa recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 13, Episode 3 “Symphony of Flavors”
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef, Potato
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds sirloin cap (see note) fat cap trimmed to ¼-inch thick, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 2 pounds beef short ribs with bone
  • 1 plum tomato fresh or canned whole, quartered
  • 1/2 white onion peeled and quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 to 2 jalapeño chiles with seeds, stemmed and halved lengthwise
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • cups water
  • 1 large Yukon Gold potato quartered

For serving:

Instructions

  • Put the sirloin chunks, short ribs, tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeños, bay leaves, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large Dutch oven or deep lidded pot. Pour in the 3½ cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
  • Stir and add the quartered potato. Cover and continue cooking for another hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half, until the meat falls apart when pulled with a fork. Remove from the heat.
  • When you’re ready to eat, remove the potato pieces and enjoy as a cook’s treat or share with your guests. Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary. The tomato, onion, garlic, and jalapeño will have cooked down and melted into the cooking juices. Transfer the meat with a slotted spoon to a small bowl or a baking sheet and with two dinner forks or your hands, finely shred it; discard the bones. Return the meat to the pot and serve hot with the salsas, chopped cilantro and white onion, avocado slices, and tortillas or bread in tacos or tortas.

Note:

  • Tri-tip steak is similar to sirloin cap and works too. It comes with a hard, thick layer of fat on top; some is needed for flavor, but you’ll want to trim most of it off.

Notes

Barbacoa Chihuahuense

Red Gorditas with Creamy Chipotle Chicken

Red Gorditas
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5 from 3 votes

Red Gorditas with Creamy Chipotle Chicken

Red Gorditas with Creamy Chipotle Chicken recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 13, Episode 2 “Canyon Cuisine”
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken, Chipotle, gorditas, masa
Servings: 10 gorditas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 tablespoon ground dried colorado chile or guajillo, New Mexico or Hatch chile
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups hot water plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or vegetable shortening or lard
  • 1 batch Creamy Chipotle Chicken or filling of your choice, warmed up
  • Shredded lettuce to garnish
  • Ripe avocado slices to garnish
  • Crumbled queso fresco to garnish

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina, ground chile and salt. Add the water and knead until completely incorporated and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetable oil and knead until thoroughly combined. It should be as soft as playdough and hold its shape when rolled into a ball. Cover with a wet kitchen towel and let rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes to fully hydrate.
  • Preheat a comal, cast iron, or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Line your tortilla press with a couple pieces of plastic cut into rounds (produce bags from the grocery store are perfect for this). Place a small bowl of water next to you. Divide the masa into 10 pieces, keeping it in the bowl and covered. One by one, roll each piece of masa into a ball of about 2¼ inches, using the water to moisten your hands as needed.
  • Open the tortilla press, set a piece of plastic on the base, place a ball of mass on top in the center, and cover with the second piece of plastic. Gently press down, one or two times, until you get a very chubby tortilla of about ¼ to ⅓ inch thick and about 4 to 4¼ inches around. Alternatively, you may shape the gorditas with your hands.
  • Transfer the gordita to the preheated comal and let it cook, without moving it, for about 5-6 minutes on the first side, until the bottom half seems cooked and has changed in color slightly and started to freckle. Flip and cook another 5-6 minutes, until the second side begins to freckle and brown. Flip again and cook another 2 minutes per side until they are ready, taking care not to burn the outside. You know they’ve cooked when they seem to want to puff if you press them with your fingers.
  • Remove from the comal. Holding with a kitchen towel, if need be, run a small sharp knife through the gordita about ⅔ of the way, without cutting all the way through, to create a pocket. You may want to wet the knife to help slice through, as the masa may still be doughy in some areas.
  • Wrap the gorditas in a clean kitchen towel, or place in a tortilla holder, as you move along to keep warm. Once ready, fill the gorditas with the Creamy Chipotle Chicken, or your preferred filling, and place back on the comal for a minute to completely heat through. Then garnish with shredded lettuce, avocado slices and crumbled queso fresco.
  • Note: To make your own chile powder: Remove the stems and seeds from 2 ounces dried colorado, guajillo, New Mexico or Hatch chiles. On a preheated comal or skillet, set over medium heat, toast the chiles for about 1-2 minutes, flipping as they toast and brown, being careful not to let them burn. Remove from the heat once they are fragrant, browned and toasted, and their fumes have released. When cool enough to handle, process in a spice or coffee grinder, or small food processor, until finely ground. This will make ¼ cup or about 4 tablespoons.

Notes

Gorditas Rojas con Pollo Enchipotlado

Chihuahua-Style Mixed Meat Grill

Chihuahua-Style Mixed Meat Grill (Discada)
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5 from 5 votes

Chihuahua-Style Mixed Meat Grill

Chihuahua-Style Mixed Meat Grill (Discada) recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 13, Episode 7 “The Magic of Mata Ortiz”
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bacon, beef, Chipotle, Chorizo, pork, Potato
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (about 10 slices) bacon coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo casings removed, chopped
  • 1 pound Yukon gold, baby gold or yellow potatoes peeled and cut into ¾ to ½ inch pieces (if mini potatoes, keep skin on)
  • teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt divided, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper divided, or to taste
  • ½ large white onion coarsely chopped (about 1½ cups)
  • 1/2 pound fresh chiles verdes such as Chilaca, Anaheim, California, New Mexico or Hatch stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 1 fresh jalapeño stemmed and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 3/4 pound ripe plum tomatoes cored, seeded and diced
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce seeded and chopped
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pound beef tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Warm corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Heat a large, wide, heavy casserole or deep, heavy skillet, or a large paella pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bacon and cook until it begins to brown and has rendered some of its fat, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chorizo, cooking and breaking into smaller pieces for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to render its fat and darken in color.
  • Add the potatoes, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Toss and cook for 3-4 minutes, so the potatoes begin to soften as the chorizo continues to cook and brown. Add the onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until it softens a bit. Add the chiles verdes and jalapeño, stir, and cook a couple minutes more. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes and chipotles, stir, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon or spider, remove all the cooked ingredients and scrape them into a large bowl.
  • Season the pork and beef tenderloin with the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cumin.
  • Set the same pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the pork and beef and brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add all of the chorizo-potato mix back to the pan, toss, and heat thoroughly. Serve with warm corn tortillas for people to tuck into tacos.

Notes

Discada Chihuahuense

Habanero Pork Belly Tacos

Castacan (Habanero Pork Belly Taco)
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4.25 from 4 votes

Habanero Pork Belly Tacos

Habanero Pork Belly Tacos recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 12, Episode 6 “Yucatán Meats”
Cook Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: habanero, pork, tacos
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water plus 1 cup for roasting
  • 1/2 cup kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 habanero
  • 2 pounds pork belly boneless
  • 8 to 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups grated melty cheese such as Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Muenster or Mozzarella
  • Pickled Onion with Fire Roasted Chiles and Garlic optional, to garnish
  • Ripe avocado slices optional, to garnish
  • Salsa of your choice optional, to garnish

Instructions

  • To make the brine, in a small saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the salt, sugar, oregano, black pepper, allspice, bay leaf, and whole habanero. Set over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, stir and turn off heat. Set aside until cooled.
  • Using a sharp knife, score the top of the pork belly in a diagonal pattern, without cutting into the meat. Place the pork belly in a medium baking dish, pour in the brine along with the habanero, making a slit in the habanero. Cover and refrigerate anywhere from 12 to 48 hours.
  • When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°F with the rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Take the pork belly out of the refrigerator, remove it from the brine and place it in a clean or rinsed baking dish. Pour a clean cup of water over it and add the whole habanero from the brine.
  • Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork belly is fork tender. Remove the aluminum foil, increase heat to 450°F, and roast for about 15 minutes or until the top has crisped and browned and the inner fat has mostly melted. Remove from the oven. Once cool enough to handle, cut into 1” slices and chop into bite size pieces.
  • Heat a comal, griddle, or skillet over medium heat. One by one heat the tortillas on both sides, add a couple of generous tablespoons of cheese and a couple generous tablespoons of pork belly. Once the cheese is melted, fold and let the tacos crisp on both sides. Serve with pickled onion with fire roasted chiles and garlic, ripe avocado slices, and/or your favorite salsa.

Notes

Tacos de Castacán al Habanero

Red Tacos with Queso Fresco and Piquín Salsa Verde

Red Tacos
Print Recipe
4.25 from 4 votes

Red Tacos with Queso Fresco and Piquín Salsa Verde

Red Tacos with Queso Fresco and Piquín Salsa Verde from Pati's Mexican Table Season 11, Episode 7 "Cantina Culture"
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Antojos
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: red tacos, tacos, tacos rojos
Servings: 16 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 serrano chile stemmed and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 ripe Roma tomatoes (½ pound) cored and finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 tomatillos (⅓ pound) cored and finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 2 cups crumbled queso fresco (8 ounces)

For assembling:

  • 1 batch Red Tortillas
  • Vegetable oil for greasing the comal
  • 1 batch Salsa Verde con Piquín to sauce the tacos
  • Mexican crema to drizzle over the tacos
  • Crushed dried chile piquín optional, garnish

Instructions

To make the filling:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and serrano and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until wilted. Stir in the garlic, stir and cook for a minute, until fragrant but not burnt. Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, and salt and cook stirring often, until they have completely softened and released their juices and then begin to dry up turning into a moist but mushy paste, about 7 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the queso fresco and combine well. Set aside.

To assemble and dress the tacos:

  • Set your comal, cast iron, or nonstick skillet over medium heat. If desired, add a tablespoon of oil and spread throughout (you can also make the tacos without oil). Place a couple tortillas and add a couple tablespoons of the queso filling in the center of each. Fold the tortillas to close, and let the tacos cook and begin to crisp for a couple minutes on each side. Repeat with all the tortillas.
  • Serve, completely sauced with the Salsa Verde con Piquín. You may drizzle on Mexican crema and sprinkle some crushed dried Piquín on top.

Notes

Tacos Rojos de Queso Fresco con Salsa Verde con Piquín

Pork Stew Stacked in Corn Tortillas

Pork Stew Stacked in Corn Tortillas
Print Recipe
4.20 from 5 votes

Pork Stew Stacked in Corn Tortillas

Pork Stew Stacked in Corn Tortillas from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 11, Episode 3 “The World Cup of Tacos”
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beans, chile, corn tortillas, pork
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the asado de puerco:

  • 3 pounds pork loin fat on, cut into 3/4” cubes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 peeled garlic cloves
  • 10 whole allspice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

For the chile sauce:

  • 4 ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 4 guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 1 pound ripe Roma tomatoes
  • 2 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 1 thick slice of a white onion about 2 ounces
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano chile
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • Rind of an orange

To make empalmes (corn stacks):

Instructions

To make the asado de puerco:

  • Place the meat in a large, heavy casserole. In a piece of cheesecloth, wrap the bay leaves, 2 peeled garlic cloves, and the whole allspice. Tie with a piece of kitchen twine and place over the pork. Cover the pork with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir. Set over high heat and let it come to a boil. Remove any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue cooking until water has completely cooked off, about 45 minutes.

To make the chile sauce:

  • Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. On a preheated comal or medium skillet set over medium heat, toast the ancho and guajillo chiles for about a minute per side. Until they toast, change color and begin to fume, but don’t let them burn. Transfer them to a small saucepan and cover them generously with water. Place over medium-high heat and let cook for about 10 minutes, until they plump up and rehydrate. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  • On the same comal, place the tomatoes, 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, onion and jalapeño. Let them cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, and flip every 2 to 3 minutes as they char (alternatively you roast or char them under the broiler or on a grill for a similar amount of time). Once the skin is completely charred, and the tomatoes are very mushy and the onion and jalapeño are very soft, transfer them all to the jar of a blender, making sure to remove the skin of the charred garlic cloves. Add the rehydrated ancho and guajillo chiles along with 1 cup of their simmering liquid, an additional cup of water, the oregano, cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon salt. Purée until completely smooth.
  • Once the water has completely cooked off from the pork, remove the cheesecloth packet and let the meat cook in its own fat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until it has browned on all sides. You may add a bit of lard or oil if the pork didn’t have much fat to begin with.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low and add the chile sauce. Stir well and incorporate the orange rind. Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and seasoned and the pork is completely tender. The stew should be very saucy.

To make the empalmes:

  • For crunchy empalmes – In a skillet or comal preheated over medium heat, place a couple of corn tortillas and spread a tablespoon of Frijoles con Veneno on each tortilla. Top them generously with asado de puerco and cover with another corn tortilla on top. Let the tortillas gently brown on the bottom for about a minute or two. Gently flip and let them brown on the other side for a minute or two. You have a single-stack empalme. If you want a double-stack empalme, add one tortilla, frijoles, asado, another tortilla, frijoles, asado, and another tortilla on top.
  • For a soft empalme platter – Serve a hot corn tortilla on a plate, spread Frijoles con Veneno onto the tortilla, and add a generous amount of asado de puerco on top. Then add 3 to 4 more warm corn tortillas on top of the asado.

Notes

Asado de Puerco con Empalmes

Tostadas

tostadas
Print Recipe
4.20 from 5 votes

Tostadas

Tostadas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 10 “Quiero más Tacos”
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Basic Recipe
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: corn tortillas
Servings: 10 tostadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil
  • 10 corn tortillas (5-6 inch in diameter), homemade or store bought
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

Instructions

To fry:

  • In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat ½ inch of oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
  • Fry the tortillas in the hot oil for 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle immediately with salt.

To bake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place tortillas on the baking sheet. Gently brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool.

Ceviche Tostadas Puerto Vallarta

ceviche tostadas
Print Recipe
4.13 from 8 votes

Ceviche Tostadas Puerto Vallarta

Ceviche Tostadas Puerto Vallarta recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 10 “Quiero más Tacos”
Cook Time0 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, cilantro, fish, jalapeno, lime, serrano, Tomato
Servings: 10 tostadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound very fresh mackerel fillets or other saltwater fish fillets, such as grouper, halibut, striped bass, red snapper, or fluke, skinned, rinsed, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped carrots
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano chile halved, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 tostadas homemade or store bought
  • 1 large ripe tomato thinly sliced
  • 1 large ripe avocado halved, pitted, meat scooped out, and sliced

Instructions

  • Place the fish and carrots in a food processor and pulse 5-6 times, or until the mixture is finely chopped, taking care not to turn it into a puree. Alternatively you could mince with a sharp knife.
  • Place the fish mixture in a large bowl, pour the lime juice over it, and gently toss. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
  • Drain the fish mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon. Return the fish to the bowl and stir in the chile, onion, cilantro, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours, so all the flavors come together.
  • When ready to serve, taste the ceviche for salt and pepper and add more if necessary.
  • Mound 2-3 tablespoons of ceviche on top of each tostada. Top each with a slice of tomato and avocado and a final sprinkling of salt.

Notes

Tostadas de Ceviche Puerto Vallarta

Fried Shrimp Tacos with Apple Jicama Cucumber Slaw and Guacamole Salsa

fried shrimp tacos
Print Recipe
4.17 from 6 votes

Fried Shrimp Tacos with Apple Jicama Cucumber Slaw and Guacamole Salsa

Fried Shrimp Tacos recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 10 “Quiero más Tacos”
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chipotle, cucumber, flour tortillas, guacamole, Jicama, Salsa, Shrimp
Servings: 4 to 6
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to season shrimp
  • 1 1/4 cups seltzer
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined (tails off)
  • Safflower oil

Instructions

  • Combine the flour, cumin, chipotle, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer water to make a batter.
  • Season the shrimp with salt.
  • In a heavy, wide skillet or casserole, pour oil to a depth of 4 inches and heat over medium for at least 5 minutes. Test the heat by dipping a wooden spoon or the tip of a piece of shrimp into the oil — it should bubble happily around whatever you introduce into it. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet and cover the rack with paper towels. If you don’t have a cooling rack, just cover the baking sheet with paper towels.
  • Dip the shrimp into the batter and carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crisp, turning once, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the cooling rack and season with salt.
  • Serve the shrimp on a warm tortilla topped with the slaw and guacamole salsa.

Notes

Tacos de Camarón con Ensalada de Jícama, Manzana y Pepino y Salsa de Guacamole

Mushroom Tacos with Chile de Arbol Salsa

Mushroom Tacos
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Mushroom Tacos with Chile de Arbol Salsa

Mushroom Tacos with Chile de Arbol Salsa recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 10 “Quiero más Tacos”
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chile de arbol, cilantro, corn tortillas, Mushroom, Salsa
Servings: 6 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons safflower oil
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms such as maitake, crimini, shitake, sliced into ¾ inch pieces
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons Chile de Árbol Salsa plus more to serve
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves and upper stems, chopped, plus more to garnish
  • 6 warm corn or flour tortillas
  • Cilantro flowers to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the garlic and thyme and once the garlic begins to just lightly brown around the edges, add the mushrooms. Let them cook for 3 minutes, then stir and season with salt. Again, let them sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or as needed, allowing any liquid to cook off and until they are deeply browned. Once browned, stir in the chile de árbol salsa and cook for one minute while stirring, so the mushrooms absorb the flavor. Stir in the vinegar and the chopped cilantro. Remove from heat.
  • Spoon onto warm corn tortillas and garnish with cilantro and/or cilantro flowers, if using. Serve with extra chile de árbol salsa.

Notes

Tacos de Champiñones con Salsa de Chile de Árbol

Pellizcadas

Pellizcadas
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Pellizcadas

Pellizcadas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 7 “Getting to the Roots”
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Antojos
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cotija cheese, masa, queso fresco, refried beans
Servings: 18 pellizcadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (231g) masa harina
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 2/3 cups warm water plus more as needed
  • vegetable oil

Toppings:

Instructions

To make the dough:

  • In a large, shallow mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Gradually add the warm water, stirring with your hands, to make a cohesive dough.
  • Mix and knead the dough with your hands in the bowl until it’s smooth and somewhat firm, about a minute or so. If the dough is sticking to your hands and feels wet, add more masa harina a teaspoon at a time. If the dough crumbles when you roll a piece into a ball, add more water a teaspoon at a time.
  • Cut the side seams of a quart-sized zip-top bag or plastic produce bag so that it opens flat along the bottom seam and then cut along the bottom seam to make two pieces of plastic. You can reuse this bag every time you make pellizcadas, sopes or tortillas. Set aside.
  • Divide the dough evenly into 18 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a clean work surface and cover them with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to keep them moist.
  • Preheat a comal, cast iron skillet, nonstick pan, or a griddle, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until evenly hot.

To press the pellizcadas:

  • Working with one ball of dough at a time, sandwich it in between the plastic bag pieces on the bottom plate of a tortilla press. There should be a piece of plastic under the ball and another piece of plastic on top of the ball. Gently close the tortilla press until the dough is about 1/4” thick and about 3” to 4” in diameter. You may need to press it a couple times to get the desired thinness.

To cook pellizcadas:

  • Peel the top layer of plastic away from the pellizcada. Remove the pellizcada along with the bottom layer of plastic and place it in your palm with the plastic side up. Peel away the plastic and quickly, but gently, lay the pellizcada on the preheated pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until opaque and speckled, and they can easily be flipped without sticking to the pan.
  • Remove from the heat and place it on a flat surface or cutting board. At this point, it will not be cooked all the way through. Using a kitchen towel or cloth napkin to protect your fingers from the heat, press and gently pinch a rim around the edge of the pellizcada; the masa should still be soft enough to do this.
  • When finished forming all the pellizcadas, add oil to the comal or skillet, or brush each pellizcada with oil, and cook for one minute more on each side or until it’s cooked through and freckled with brown spots.
  • To serve immediately, remove pellizcadas from the heat and top each with a tablespoon of warm refried beans, some chicharrón en salsa, crumbled cheese, and chopped onion.
  • To serve later, wrap pellizcadas in a clean kitchen towel, seal in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for longer storage. Reheat on a hot surface (comal, pan, or griddle) for a few minutes before serving. If desired, reheat in a bit of oil to crisp up the outside of the pellizcada.

Birriadillas

Birriadillas
Print Recipe
4.58 from 7 votes

Birriadillas

Birriadillas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 5 “Escaramuza”
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Antojos, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Ancho, corn tortillas, Guajillo, lamb, lime
Servings: 2 birriadillas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat a large non-stick sauté pan or comal over medium heat. Add two tortillas and top with shredded cheese and a generous scoop of shredded birria. Cover with the remaining two tortillas.
  • Heat until the tortillas on the bottom become lightly toasted and cheese starts melting. With the help of a spatula, flip to the other side and let it heat and crisp a bit. I like to wait until the cheese oozes out, browns and crisps a little! Transfer to a plate and slice in half or quarters. Serve with salsita tapatía or salsa of your choice.

Jalisco-style Birria

Jalisco-style Birria
Print Recipe
4.25 from 12 votes

Jalisco-style Birria

Jalisco-style Birria recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 5 “Escaramuza”
Cook Time3 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Ancho, cilantro, corn tortillas, Guajillo, lamb, lime, morita chiles, Salsa
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder ribs, or leg, or a combination, cut into approximately 3 inch pieces
  • cup white distilled vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt or more to taste
  • 4 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried cascabel chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 3 dried morita chipotle chiles stemmed
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 whole cloves stemmed

For serving:

  • Warm corn tortillas
  • 2 cups finely chopped white onion
  • 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 or 3 limes quartered
  • Salsita Tapatía or salsa of your choice

Instructions

  • Place the meat in a large roasting pan, pour on the vinegar and sprinkle the salt, and rub it all over the meat. Let it sit as you prepare the marinade.
  • Heat a comal or small skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the dried chiles for a minute per side, or until lightly toasted. Place in a saucepan along with the garlic and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the chiles have softened and plumped up.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles and garlic to the jar of a blender, along with the 4 cups of cooking liquid and the oregano, cumin, nutmeg, black pepper, and cloves and puree until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
  • Cover the meat with the adobo, making sure it is all well rubbed. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator, ideally, anywhere from 24 to 48 hours (or at least 2 hours).
  • Remove the meat from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
  • Place the meat and all of the marinade in a roasting pan, tightly cover with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours. Uncover and continue roasting for another 35 minutes, or until the meat is so tender it is falling off the bones and it is browned on the top. Taste the broth and adjust the salt. You may need to add some water to the pan if it has reduced too much during the cooking.
  • When it comes to serving, you have many choices: You can transfer the meat to a platter, moisten with the remaining broth, and assemble the meat in tacos or make birria-dillas (or quesa-birrias). You can garnish the tacos or quesadillas with the onion, cilantro, lime and salsita of your choice, such as the tapatía.

Notes

Birria Estilo Jalisco

Beachside Snapper

Beachside Snapper
Print Recipe
4.67 from 6 votes

Beachside Snapper

Beachside Snapper recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 8 "Super Sonoran"
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: anaheim chiles, Beach, corn tortillas, fish, lime, mexican crema, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, Pescado, red snapper, snapper, Sonora, Sonoran, tacos, whole fish, Worcestershire sauce, Zarandeado
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 to 5 pounds whole red snapper split in half and deboned, with the skin left on
  • 1 ripe tomato
  • 1/2 white onion peeled and quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • 2 fresh Anaheim chiles
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Mexican crema
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil for brushing the aluminum foil
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1 yellow bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1/2 red onion peeled, slivered

To serve:

  • 10 to 12 corn tortillas homemade or store bought
  • 2 or 3 limes quartered
  • Your favorite hot sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomato, white onion, garlic and Anaheim chiles on the baking sheet and roast under the broiler for about 10 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through, until charred and the tomatoes have begun to release their juices. The garlic will probably be done before the other vegetables. Remove them from the heat when charred. Alternatively, you can char everything on a preheated comal, skillet or griddle set over medium-low heat, or on a grill. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer the Anaheim chiles to a bowl and cover tightly or to a plastic bag, and seal. Allow to sweat for 10 minutes, then peel, stem and seed. Peel the garlic when it’s cool enough to handle.
  • Place the roasted vegetables, including any juices from the baking sheet or bowl, in a blender. Add the lime juice, mayonnaise, crema, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, butter, salt and pepper. Puree until completely smooth.
  • Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with vegetable oil.
  • Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and place skin side down on the baking sheet. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce and spread the rest very generously over the fish, creating a very thick layer.
  • Bake the fish anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes –- depending on the thickness of the fish, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily when poked with a fork, and the sauce is nicely browned and a little crusty on top.
  • Meanwhile, preheat a comal over medium heat, and in a medium bowl combine the bell peppers, slivered red onion and reserved sauce. Toss well.
  • Heat the corn tortillas on the hot comal for about a minute per side, or until they are heated through and beginning to speckle and very lightly toast on both sides. Place in a tortilla warmer or wrap in a clean kitchen towel.
  • Place the bell pepper/sauce mix and the tortillas on the table along with the quartered limes and your favorite hot sauce.
  • Bring the fish to the table as soon as it is ready. Let everyone assemble their tacos with a piece of fish, the peppers and sauce, a squeeze of lime and hot sauce to taste.

Notes

Pescado Zarandeado

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 7 "Legends of the Sonoran Sea"
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, cheese, Chiles, corn tortillas, Mexico, Oaxaca cheese, pati’s mexican table, Shrimp, Sonora, Sonoran, tacos
Servings: 6 to 8 double tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 to 3 chiles de árbol stemmed, keep the seeds (more to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste, plus more for seasoning the shrimp
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided, plus more to cook the tacos
  • 2 pounds medium shrimp rinsed, shelled, and butterflied
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 12 to 16 corn tortillas
  • 3 cups melty shredded cheese such as mozzarella, asadero, Oaxaca, quesadilla, or Monterey Jack
  • 1 large ripe avocado halved, pitted, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Combine the tomatoes, garlic and chiles de árbol in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are completely soft and the chiles are plump and rehydrated. Transfer to a blender with 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the oregano, tomato paste and salt, and puree until completely smooth.
  • Heat the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the tomato puree, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and darkened, and the flavors have intensified. Turn off the heat.
  • Season the butterflied shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add half the shrimp and quickly sear for a minute or so per side. They should be browned and just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be rubbery. Scrape into a bowl. Melt another tablespoon butter and oil together and repeat with the second batch.
  • Heat a comal, griddle or large skillet, preferably nonstick or cast iron, over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to the surface.
  • One by one, lightly sauce the tortillas: briefly dip them into the tomato sauce, making sure the entire tortilla is coated (I like to use a pair of rubber tipped tongs but you could also just use you hands) and lay as many as will fit on the comal or griddle without overlapping. Top each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons shredded cheese. Leave for a couple of minutes, until the cheese begins to melt and the bottoms of the sauced tortillas begin to dry and brown a little. Then, using a spatula, stack two sauced, browned and cheese-topped tortillas, one on top of another.
  • Don’t worry if the tortilla that you scrape up to stack on top of the other one sticks and tears a little bit or if it is not sitting evenly on top. Spoon some seared shrimp on top of each stack, gently fold with a spatula and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, until the cheese has completely melted and begun to ooze out and create a crust.
  • Remove from the heat and serve hot. Top with slices of ripe avocado.

Notes

Tacos Bravos de Toño

Sonoran Style Shrimp and Scallop Tostada

Sonoran Style Shrimp and Scallop Tostada
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Sonoran Style Shrimp and Scallop Tostada

Sonoran Style Shrimp and Scallop Tostada recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 7 "Legends of the Sonoran Sea"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Cachoreada, chiltepín chiles, mayonnaise, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, Salsa, Scallops, Shrimp, Sonora, Sonoran, tostadas
Servings: 6 to 8 big tostadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the mayonnaise:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Pinch of kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the tostadas:

Instructions

To make the mayonnaise:

  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the lime zest. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

To make the tostadas:

  • Have the three salsas prepared and ready to use, and the tostadas within reach.
  • Season the shrimp and scallops with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Once the butter has begun to foam, add the shrimp. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes per side, just until nicely seared and browned on the outside but not overcooked inside. Scrape into a bowl. Return the skillet to the heat, add the remaining butter and oil, and once the butter foams, add the scallops. Cook for a minute per side, until the tops and bottoms are browned and the middles are no longer translucent, and remove from the heat. The scallops should be medium rare. As soon as you can handle them, slice thin and set aside.
  • Spread about a tablespoon of the mayonnaise on each tostada, top with a layer of sliced scallops, a couple of tablespoons of the salsa bandera, and then a layer of the shrimp. Crown with avocado slices. Top the avocado slices with a couple of tablespoons of salsa negra and add apple chiltepin salsita or another hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately, passing more salsa negra around the table for people to add as desired.

Notes

Cachoreada

Birria

Birria
Print Recipe
4.88 from 8 votes

Goat Meat Stew Tacos

Birria recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 11 “A Day in Sinaloa's Countryside”
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: avocado leaves, birria, cilantro, corn tortillas, goat, guajillo chiles, lamb, lime, onion, tacos
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the Birria:

  • 4 to 5 pounds goat meat bone-in, cut into about 3-inch pieces (you may substitute lamb)
  • 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 6 teaspoons kosher or sea salt divided
  • 3 quarts water plus more to soak the meat
  • 4 to 5 large dried avocado leaves
  • 3 ounces (about 10) guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded

For serving:

  • Warm corn tortillas
  • 2 cups finely chopped white onion
  • 2 cups chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 to 3 limes quartered

Instructions

  • Place the meat in a large bowl and cover with cool water. Add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse well with cold water.
  • Place the rinsed meat in a large casserole, cover with at least 3 quarts water, add 4 teaspoons salt, and stir. Set over high heat and let it come to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low, remove whatever foam may have come to the surface, cover, and cook for 2 hours.
  • Set a comal or small saute pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, toast the avocado leaves, flipping as they cook, for about a minute until fragrant.
  • Place the chiles in a small saucepan, cover with water, and set over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the chiles are completely rehydrated and plumped up. Place the chiles in the jar of a blender, along with a cup of the cooking liquid, and puree until completely smooth.
  • Uncover the meat, add the guajillo chile puree, stir, and drop in the toasted avocado leaves. Cover again and continue cooking for another 2 hours, or until the meat is succulent, juicy, tender, and falling apart when a fork is inserted.
  • Serve the meat in bowls along with the broth. At the table, have warm corn tortillas, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and quartered limes for people to assemble their birria tacos and to season the broth. You can also chase the tacos with the broth.

Notes

Birria

Campechano Tacos with Street Style Salsa

Campechano Tacos with Street Style Salsa
Print Recipe
4.13 from 8 votes

Campechano Tacos with Street Style Salsa

Campechano Tacos with Street Style Salsa recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 4 “Los Mochis, Street Taco Favorites”
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicharrón, cilantro, corn tortillas, flank steak, garlic, longaniza, onion, pati’s mexican table, Salsa Callejera, tacos
Servings: 8 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds flank steak cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 pound longaniza casings removed, chopped (or substitute Mexican chorizo)
  • 1/2 pound pork chicharrón crumbled or chopped into small pieces
  • 8 corn tortillas store-bought or homemade
  • 1 cup finely chopped white onion for garnish
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
  • Salsa Callejera

Instructions

  • Place the meat, garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a teaspoon of salt in a large casserole or pot. Cover generously with water and place over high heat. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, remove any foam that may have risen to the top, cover, and cook for an hour and a half until the meat is completely tender and falling apart. Turn off heat and set aside.
  • Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and chop into small pieces. Set aside.
  • Set a large saute pan over medium-high heat, once hot add a tablespoon of oil. Add the longaniza or chorizo and brown, crumbling into smaller pieces with a couple wooden spoons or spatulas as it cooks, for about 5 minutes until crisp and brown. Add the chopped meat, stir, and cook for a couple minutes until it starts to brown as well. Incorporate the chicharrón, mix it all up and turn off the heat.
  • Preheat a comal or skillet over medium-low heat. Heat the tortillas for about a minute per side until completely hot with brown specks on both sides. Assemble the tacos, or let people assemble their own, by adding some of the meat mix and topping with chopped onion, cilantro, and salsa callejera.

Notes

Tacos Campechanos de Suadero, Longaniza y Chicharrón con Salsa Callejera

Governor Shrimp Tacos

Governor Shrimp Tacos
Print Recipe
4.50 from 6 votes

Governor Shrimp Tacos

Governor Shrimp Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 1 "Tijuana’s Culinary Revolution" 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, Mexican, pati's mexican table, Shrimp, Sinaloa, Taco
Servings: 6 Tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 white onion slivered
  • 2 poblano chiles stemmed, seeded, slivered
  • 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 ripe Roma tomatoes cored, seeded, slivered
  • 3 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds (about 11-15) shelled large shrimp cut into large chunks
  • 3 cups shredded Oaxaca, mozzarella, asadero or Muenster cheese
  • 6 to 8 flour or corn tortillas
  • Sliced avocado for garnish
  • 1 Chile Manzano sliced and mixed with the juice of a lime, 1/4 red onion and salt to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once it melts and begins to bubble, add the onion and poblano and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Incorporate the tomatoes, cook for a minute, and as they begin to soften, add the sauce from the chipotles in adobo, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well, cook for another minute, then add the shrimp and cook just until they change color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and scrape into a bowl to prevent the shrimp from overcooking.
  • On a preheated comal set over low heat, heat the tortillas on both sides for a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese onto each one. Once the cheese begins to melt, add a generous amount of the shrimp mixture, fold in half and continue heating until cheese has completely melted and the tortillas have begun to lightly brown and create a crust.
  • Serve with sliced avocado and Manzano chiles and onion.

Video

Notes

Tacos Gobernador de Camarón

Brown Sugar Carnitas

brown sugar carnitas
Print Recipe
4.64 from 11 votes

Brown Sugar Carnitas

Brown Sugar Carnitas from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 2 "Tijuana: Stories from the Border"
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: brown sugar, Carnitas, pati's mexican table, pork
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lard, vegetable shortening or oil
  • 3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt fat on, cut into 3” chunks
  • 4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups milk divided
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 white onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  • Heat the lard in a large Dutch oven or heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Season the meat with 2 teaspoons of the salt and the black pepper. Once the lard has melted, add the meat, brown on all sides, stirring and flipping as it does, for about 10 to 12 minutes.
  • In the jar of a blender, pour 1 ½ cups of the milk and add the garlic, onion and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Puree until smooth. Pour over the meat and let it come to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, drop in the bay leaves, and cover. Cook covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, flipping the chunks of meat a couple times in between.
  • In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup milk with the sugar. Pour over the carnitas, stir, and let them continue to cook, uncovered, for another 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and place in a bowl. Shred with a couple forks, add a couple tablespoons of the seasoned fat remaining in the casserole and toss.

Notes

Carnitas Caramelizadas

Cali-Baja Fish Tacos

Cali-Baja Fish Tacos
Print Recipe
4.45 from 9 votes

Cali-Baja Fish Tacos

Cali-Baja Fish Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 3 "Ensenada's Epic Seafood"
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, Baja, California, Cod, fish, Mexican, Taco, Tilapia
Servings: 6 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra flour for dusting the fish
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt or to taste, plus more to season the fish
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup Mexican beer preferably a light beer (but anything short of a very dark bitter beer will work)
  • Safflower or canola oil for frying
  • 1 pound mild firm white fish such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut into 1x4-inch strips
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, set with the paddle attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  • In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the salt and cumin and whisk in the Mexican beer. In 4 additions, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg whites, taking care not to deflate the egg whites.
  • Pour the oil into a heavy, wide skillet or casserole to a depth of ¼” and heat over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Test the heat by dipping a wooden spoon or the tip of a piece of fish into the oil: it should bubble happily around whatever you introduce into it. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet and cover the rack with paper towels. If you don’t have a cooling rack, just cover the baking sheet with paper towels.
  • While the oil is heating, you can season and flour the fish strips. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate, and gently press each fish strip into the flour, flip over and flour the other side. Tap off excess flour and place on the rack.
  • When the oil is hot, one by one, dip the floured fish strips into the batter and immediately, but gently, place into the hot oil. Add as many as you can without crowding the pan. Fry until crisp and lightly golden brown, which should take 2 to 3 minutes; then flip and fry on the other side, for another 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.
  • Remove with tongs - the type with the heat-proof coating on the ends are best, if you want to avoid tearing the batter - or a slotted spoon and place on the paper towel-covered rack. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Serve on a flour tortilla with salsa macha and creamy slaw. Optional, pickled red onion and a jalapeño marinated in fresh squeezed lime juice and salt to taste.

Notes

Tacos de Pescado Cali-Baja

Story Goes… Governor Shrimp Tacos

The story goes, governor shrimp tacos, or tacos gobernador de camarón, were created in the state of Sinaloa in the early 1990s to surprise governor Francisco Labastida Ochoa, after he told a few friends how much he loved his wife’s shrimp tacos. That bit of information was passed on to the owners of Los Arcos in Mazatlán restaurant, before he headed there to visit.

The chef was given the quest not only try to match the governor’s wife’s tacos, which no one besides the governor had tried, but to beat them. So quite a few taco recipes were developed and tested. When the governor showed up to eat, he liked them so much he named them “tacos gobernador.”

Now, I do not know if that story is entirely true. But, what I do know is, these tacos became so popular you no longer only find them at Los Arcos in Mazatlán. They are all over Sinaloa and beyond. I had them as far away as Los Angeles and Miami.  Yet, I saw the most renditions on the 800 mile drive throughout the entire Baja Peninsula.

I felt more than obliged to offer my take on tacos gobernador, since my travels in Baja are featured on “Pati’s Mexican Table” in my new season premiering in a few weeks (you can watch the trailer here). And I am thrilled to share my recipe with you, as we all love these tacos in my home!

So what’s in tacos gobernador? First, a combination of shrimp and cheese makes them a cross between a taco and a quesadilla. A ton of cheese is really essential.

Second, cooked onion that is often accompanied by other vegetables, typically bell peppers and sometimes poblano chiles. If you ask me what I prefer, hands down, not even a second of hesitation, poblano chiles. I absolutely adore them. I feel lukewarm about green bell peppers to put it mildly. So my take has a combination of slivered onions and poblanos with just a bit of tomato.

Third, the seasonings. Some renditions have no sauce, only salt and pepper. Some have a simple to a more seasoned tomato sauce. I go for a seasoned, very thick sauce that is almost a paste, really. It combines tomato paste, La Costeña chipotles in adobo and the W sauce — Worcestershire — or as we call it in Mexico “salsa inglesa.”

Lastly, you can opt for corn or flour tortillas. There are no strict guidelines here, different from other kinds of tacos.

There are so many reasons why I like these tacos so much. They end up being a complete meal, they are so easy to prepare, they are irresistibly delicious and messy, the cheese creates an inviting crust as it melts… and they have a great story behind them. I do love a good story.

Governor Shrimp Tacos
Print Recipe
4.50 from 6 votes

Governor Shrimp Tacos

Governor Shrimp Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 1 "Tijuana’s Culinary Revolution" 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, Mexican, pati’s mexican table, Shrimp, Sinaloa, Taco
Servings: 6 Tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 white onion slivered
  • 2 poblano chiles stemmed, seeded, slivered
  • 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 ripe Roma tomatoes cored, seeded, slivered
  • 3 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds (about 11-15) shelled large shrimp cut into large chunks
  • 3 cups shredded Oaxaca, mozzarella, asadero or Muenster cheese
  • 6 to 8 flour or corn tortillas
  • Sliced avocado for garnish
  • 1 Chile Manzano sliced and mixed with the juice of a lime, 1/4 red onion and salt to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once it melts and begins to bubble, add the onion and poblano and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Incorporate the tomatoes, cook for a minute, and as they begin to soften, add the sauce from the chipotles in adobo, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well, cook for another minute, then add the shrimp and cook just until they change color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and scrape into a bowl to prevent the shrimp from overcooking.
  • On a preheated comal set over low heat, heat the tortillas on both sides for a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese onto each one. Once the cheese begins to melt, add a generous amount of the shrimp mixture, fold in half and continue heating until cheese has completely melted and the tortillas have begun to lightly brown and create a crust.
  • Serve with sliced avocado and Manzano chiles and onion.

Video

Notes

Tacos Gobernador de Camarón

Sopes

The very first class I taught at the Mexican Cultural Institute, after I switched from being a policy analyst at the Inter American Dialogue, was October 18, 2007.

I remember the date exactly, because it was a day after Sami’s 6th birthday. For months, I had been teaching him and his two brothers, Alan who was then 8 and Juju who was just 1, how to make sopes every night for at least 3 months.

I had been so nervous about teaching in front of a live audience that, instead of telling them our usual bed time story about an imaginary and mischievous monkey called Waba-Waba, I had switched to a nightly cooking demo. They were as loving and kind and patient as they are with me to this day, did not complain, and pretended to be making sopes along with me.

I started the classes at the Institute in an attempt to share my love for Mexican cuisine and culture and to try to open a much wider window into its richness, diversity and surprising accessibility. I wanted to help break misconceptions about our food and our people and invite people north of the border to make use of our ingredients, techniques and recipes to enrich their own kitchens.

The very first dish that I shared was sopes. I even found a photo of that day… and you can see Rosa and I showing how to make sopes many ways, with our hands, using a rolling pin, with a tortilla press…

Pati and Rosa making sopes at the Mexican Cultural Institute

Why did I choose sopes? To begin with, because they are one of my favorite things to eat! But also, because sopes helped me shine a light on so many crucial elements of Mexican cuisine…

Sopes are part of a category of dishes we Mexicans call antojos, or antojitos, which translates to little cravings. An antojo is something you can eat anytime of day and can either be a quick bite or make a full meal, depending on what you top them with… and how many you eat.

Sopes are made of corn masa, which is a cornerstone of Mexican cuisine that has existed for thousands of years. Made of nixtamalized corn, corn masa renders corn nutritious and versatile. You don’t need to nixtamalize corn yourself, you can buy masa harina, which simply mixed with water makes masa!

Sopes show how playful and versatile masa can be. They are similar to a tortilla, but they are much thicker, and the rim around it that helps contain its garnishes. They are like little edible plates.

Sopes are easy to make. Different from a corn tortilla, someone who is making sopes for the first time, doesn’t need to worry about knowing how to use a tortilla press, the correct thickness, or the technique for making them puff up. They are much more forgiving.

Sopes are also accessible: you can make them ahead of time, vary the toppings, assemble in a few minutes, dress them up or dress them down. I always, always, add a layer of refried beans, a tasty salsa and either tangy, salty and crumbly queso cotija or queso fresco, crumbled on top.

To boot, sopes are super fun to make by yourself or with friends or with your kids.

So as you can see, sopes helped me achieve many things: they helped me show how accessible, forgiving, fun, filling, nutritious, versatile, rich and delicious Mexican food is.

You can follow along with this video too…

To this day, I am still proudly teaching at the Institute where I am the resident chef 11 years after I started. I am also serving sopes any chance I get.

Pati Jinich sopes
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Sopes

Sopes recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 10 "How I Got to Now"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cotija, queso fresco, refried beans, sopes, Tomatillo Salsita
Servings: 12 sopes
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

To make the Sopes:

  • 2 cups masa harina or corn tortilla flour such as Maseca
  • 2 cups water more if needed
  • Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt

To serve:

Instructions

  • Heat a comal or skillet over medium heat until very hot.

To make the sopes:

  • Combine the masa harina, water and salt, kneading in a revolving motion with your hands. Knead for a couple of minutes, until dough is smooth and has no lumps. If it feels too dry, add a bit more water.
  • Divide the dough into 12 balls, each about 2-inches in diameter. Line the bottom of a tortilla press with circles cut from a thin plastic bag (like the ones from the produce section of your grocery store). One at a time, place a ball of dough onto the plastic lining the bottom of the tortilla press, and top with another layer of plastic. Press down to make a flat disk as thick as a pancake, about 1/4-inch thick (much thicker than a tortilla). You can also flatten and form them by hand. Repeat with all 12 balls.
  • As you make them, place each sope on the hot comal or skillet. Let them cook about one to two minutes on each side, until opaque and speckled, and they can be flipped without sticking.
  • Take them off the comal and place them on a chopping board. Using a kitchen towel to protect your fingers, make a rim around each sope by pressing and pinching with your fingers along the edges. Return them to the comal or skillet, and let them cook for one or two more minutes per side, until thoroughly cooked.
  • If eaten the same day, they may be kept wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. If not, wrap them in a kitchen towel or paper towel, and store inside a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 3 days, afterwards they will turn too hard. Reheat on hot comal or skillet for a couple minutes before eating. They can also be frozen and kept for months.

To serve:

  • Once the sopes have been thoroughly cooked and warmed, place on a platter and add a generous tablespoon of refried beans, shredded lettuce, crumbled cheese, chopped onion and Quick Roasted Salsita. Salsa may be left on the side for people to add as much as they like.

Sopes

Pati Jinich sopes
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Sopes

Sopes recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 10 "How I Got to Now"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cotija, queso fresco, refried beans, sopes, Tomatillo Salsita
Servings: 12 sopes
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

To make the Sopes:

  • 2 cups masa harina or corn tortilla flour such as Maseca
  • 2 cups water more if needed
  • Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt

To serve:

Instructions

  • Heat a comal or skillet over medium heat until very hot.

To make the sopes:

  • Combine the masa harina, water and salt, kneading in a revolving motion with your hands. Knead for a couple of minutes, until dough is smooth and has no lumps. If it feels too dry, add a bit more water.
  • Divide the dough into 12 balls, each about 2-inches in diameter. Line the bottom of a tortilla press with circles cut from a thin plastic bag (like the ones from the produce section of your grocery store). One at a time, place a ball of dough onto the plastic lining the bottom of the tortilla press, and top with another layer of plastic. Press down to make a flat disk as thick as a pancake, about 1/4-inch thick (much thicker than a tortilla). You can also flatten and form them by hand. Repeat with all 12 balls.
  • As you make them, place each sope on the hot comal or skillet. Let them cook about one to two minutes on each side, until opaque and speckled, and they can be flipped without sticking.
  • Take them off the comal and place them on a chopping board. Using a kitchen towel to protect your fingers, make a rim around each sope by pressing and pinching with your fingers along the edges. Return them to the comal or skillet, and let them cook for one or two more minutes per side, until thoroughly cooked.
  • If eaten the same day, they may be kept wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. If not, wrap them in a kitchen towel or paper towel, and store inside a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 3 days, afterwards they will turn too hard. Reheat on hot comal or skillet for a couple minutes before eating. They can also be frozen and kept for months.

To serve:

  • Once the sopes have been thoroughly cooked and warmed, place on a platter and add a generous tablespoon of refried beans, shredded lettuce, crumbled cheese, chopped onion and Quick Roasted Salsita. Salsa may be left on the side for people to add as much as they like.

Fried Egg Taco with Pine Nut Pipián

fried egg taco
Print Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes

Fried Egg Taco with Pine Nut Pipián

Fried Egg Taco with Pine Nut Pipián recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 13 “José Andrés Takes Over”
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chorizo, fried egg, pickled red onions, Pine Nut Pipián, radish, tacos
Servings: 4 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare the chorizo: With a knife cut the chorizo link on one side, allowing it to split open. Squeeze the meat from the casing. In a pot over medium heat, gently cook the chorizo for 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a generous amount of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, gently crack open the egg into the middle of the oil, tilting the pan to allow the yolk to be centered. Cook on medium heat, using a slotted spoon to prevent egg from sticking to the pan. Cover if needed to allow the white to cook through, leaving the yolk runny, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, scoop egg out of the frying oil, dab on a towel to allow any excess oil to drain away, and place the fried egg on a plate. Repeat cooking process for each of the four eggs.
  • Cut off a 4-inch piece from the baguette. Slice off the crust and then slice the inner bread into 1/2-inch strips. Toast in a pan with oil.
  • Top each egg taco with slice of toasted bread, radish, cilantro, Pickled Red Onion Slices, Pine Nut Pipián, and chorizo. Serve immediately.

Notes

Tacos de Huevo con Pipián de Piñón, recipe courtesy of José Andrés

Tacos al Pastor

Pati Jinich Tacos al Pastor
Print Recipe
4 from 7 votes

Tacos al Pastor

Tacos al Pastor recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 4, Episode 3 “Taco Night”
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: achiote paste, cheese, cilantro, corn tortillas, lime, pati's mexican table, pineapple, pork, tacos
Servings: 12 to 14 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds pork shoulder or butt sirloin cutlets or butterfly chops, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 3 cups achiote adobo marinade
  • Half of a pineapple peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • To taste kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 12 to 14 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas to make them “gringas” style)
  • Shredded queso asadero, Mexican Oaxaca or Chihuahua or mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or any melty cheese of your choice (optional, for making them “gringas” style)
  • 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped, to garnish
  • 1 cup white onion roughly chopped, to garnish
  • 2 limes cut into quarters, to garnish
  • Serve with a salsa of your choice

Instructions

  • Marinate the meat in the adobo marinade for at least 3 hours, or up to 48 hours, in the refrigerator. Reserve 3/4 cup of marinade to brush on the pineapple before grilling/cooking and to finish off meat.
  • When ready to make tacos, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Brush some of the reserved marinade on the pineapple slices. Reserve the remaining marinade.
  • Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon of oil. Place as many pineapple slices as will fit on the skillet and sear for about 3 minutes per side, until juicy and lightly charred on both sides. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, cut the pineapple into thin slices about 1 to 2-inches long and 1/4-inch wide, removing the core. Place in a bowl and cover.
  • Drizzle another tablespoon of oil onto the skillet. Lightly sprinkle the meat with salt to taste. Sear as many slices of meat as will fit in the pan, without over crowding, for about 2 minutes per side until browned on both sides. Cook in batches if necessary. Place the meat on a chopping board. Cut it crosswise into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick and 1-inch wide.
  • Once done with all the meat, reduce the heat to medium, place the meat back in the skillet and pour the rest of the unused marinade on top. Stir and cook for another minute. Cover and set on the table.
  • On a pre-heated cast iron skillet or comal set over medium heat, heat the corn tortillas 1 to 2 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked, lightly browned and crisp on the outside. Place them in a tortilla warmer and bring to the table along with the meat, pineapple, chopped cilantro, chopped onion, lime wedges, and salsa of your choice. Let everyone assemble their own tacos.
  • Note: If you want to offer some “gringas,” heat flour tortillas on the comal and, once hot, add the melty cheese, fold, and let it melt as if it were a quesadilla. Once melted, re-open the tortilla, add a generous tablespoon or two of the sliced meat, fold again and serve.

Potato, Scallion & Chorizo Crispy Tacos

Print Recipe
4.72 from 7 votes

Potato, Scallion & Chorizo Crispy Tacos

Potato, Scallion & Chorizo Crispy Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 9 “Chorizo”
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chorizo, corn tortillas, pati's mexican table, potatoes, salsa verde, scallions, Taco
Servings: 5 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 lb red bliss potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 oz fresh uncooked Mexican chorizo sausage casings removed, coarsely chopped
  • 8 scallions white and light green parts thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt or more to taste
  • 10-12 Corn tortillas
  • safflower oil for frying
  • Salsa verde or any salsa of your choice

Instructions

  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potato pieces, once the water returns to a boil, cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain.
  • Place the chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat. As it cooks, use a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble it into smaller pieces. Once it browns and crisps, 5 to 6 minutes, add the scallions and stir to combine; cook for about 1 minute or until the scallions begin to soften.
  • Add the cooked potatoes and salt, mashing them into the chorizo mixture with a potato masher or a wooden spoon, for about 1 minute until well combined. Remove from the heat. Taste, add salt as needed.
  • Heat a dry, medium skillet over medium heat. Warm the tortillas in the skillet one at a time for 15 to 30 seconds on each side, to soften them for rolling and so they will not crack as you assemble tacos.
  • Place a few tablespoons of the filling on the center of each heated tortilla, and roll, as tightly as you can, into a taco. Insert a wooden toothpick through taco pairs, through the seams to help them retain their roll shape as they cook. When they have all been rolled, finish the tacos by either frying or toasting them.

To fry the tacos:

  • Pour enough oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 1 inch, place over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, 4 to 6 minutes, fry the tacos in batches, placing them in the skillet, without crowding them. They oil should be bubbling as they cook. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, until the bottom and sides have crisped and turned golden. Use tongs to turn over the tacos, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Continue until all the tacos have been fried.

To toast the tacos:

  • Heat a large, dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Working in batches, place the tacos in the skillet. Let them toast and heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the tacos are browned and crisped, then flip to the other side and toast until evenly browned and crisp.
  • Remove all toothpicks; serve warm.

Notes

Taquitos de Papa, Cebollita y Chorizo

Steak Tacos with Jamaica and Jalapeño Syrup

steak tacos with jamaica
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Steak Tacos with Jamaica and Jalapeño Syrup

Steak Tacos with Jamaica and Jalapeño Syrup recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 6 “Hibiscus Flowers”
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: corn tortillas, flowers, hibiscus, jalapeno, jamaica, pati's mexican table, queso fresco, serrano chiles, steak, tacos
Servings: 8 generous servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the Jamaica Concentrate (makes about 5 cups):

  • 8 cups water
  • 6 oz, about 2 cups, dried hibiscus flowers
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar or to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste

For the tacos:

  • 1 lb flank steak
  • 2 cups jamaica/hibiscus flower concentrate
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 whole cloves
  • A pinch black pepper freshly ground
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt or to taste
  • safflower or corn oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 serrano or jalapeño chile halved and seeded
  • 1 ripe Mexican avocado halved, pitted and sliced
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco crumbled
  • 16 corn tortillas

Instructions

To make the concentrate:

  • In a saucepan, pour 8 cups of water and place over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, add the jamaica flowers, simmer at medium heat for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Let it cool down and strain into a heat proof glass or plastic water jar. Add the sugar and lime juice, mix well, cover and refrigerate.

To make the tacos:

  • Pour the jamaica concentrate, bay leaves, whole cloves, black pepper and salt into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it reduces to half the original amount.
  • Let the marinade cool and pour over the flank steak in a baking dish or container. Cover and let it marinade anywhere from 1 to 24 hours.
  • Set grill pan, grill or saute pan over medium-high heat. Brush with a light coat of oil. Sprinkle meat with a bit more salt. Grill meat anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on how cooked you want it.
  • Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a saucepan set over medium heat and drop in the halved serrano or jalapeño chile. Let the sauce reduce for 15 minutes, or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. The syrup will thicken considerably as it cools. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • When the meat is ready, slice it thin and if you want, cut it into chunks. Heat corn tortillas over a comal or skillet over medium heat, it will take about a minute per side. For each taco, add a couple tablespoons or slices of meat in the center of each tortillas, a slice of avocado, some crumbled queso fresco and drizzle some of the jamaica and syrup on top. Enjoy your tacos!

Notes

Tacos de Carne con Jarabe de Jamaica y Jalapeño

Cactus Paddle Tostadas

cactus paddle tostada
Print Recipe
4 from 5 votes

Cactus Paddle Tostadas

Cactus Paddle Tostadas recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 13 “Naturally Vegetarian Mexican”
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cactus, cilantro, jalapeno, nopales, onion, pati's mexican table, refried beans, Tomatoes, tostadas
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
  • 3 pounds fresh nopales rinsed, cleaned and diced; or, if canned, rinsed thoroughly
  • 1/2 pound ripe tomato chopped
  • 3 tablespoons white onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped, optional
  • 1 jalapeño pepper chopped, seeding optional
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • Salt to taste

For the tostadas:

Instructions

To clean fresh cactus paddles:

  • Rinse fresh cactus paddles under cold water, being careful not to prick your fingers with the small thorns on its surface. Using a vegetable peeler or small sharp knife, peel away the darker bumps where thorns grow, as well as the thorns, trying not to peel off all the outer dark green skin. Lay the paddles flat on a chopping board, then trim around approximately 1/4 inch of the edges and 1/2 inch of the thick base. Once cleaned, rinse and dice into 1/2-to-1-inch squares, to your liking.

To use cactus from a can, bag or jar:

  • After you have removed the diced cactus from the jar or can, rinse it under water and drain well.

To cook the cactus:

  • Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a thick, large-sized skillet (one that has a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the diced cactus, stir in the salt and stir for a minute or two. Place the lid on the skillet.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and let the cactus cook and sweat for about 20 minutes, until it has exuded a gelatinous liquid that will begin to dry out (NOTE: If using cactus from a can or jar, already cleaned and cooked, just cook for an additional five minutes).
  • Take the lid off the skillet, stir and make sure most of that gelatinous substance has dried up. If it hasn’t, let the cactus cook for a few more minutes until it does. Let the cactus cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, toss the cactus with the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Like this, it can be eaten as a cactus paddle, nopal salad!

To assemble the tostadas:

  • Spread a layer of refried beans on each tostada. Spoon some the cooked cactus mixture on top, and add the garnishes of your choice. I add avocado slices, queso fresco, Mexican crema and salsa verde!

Notes

Tostadas de Nopales

Adobo Fish Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

adobo fish tacos with grilled pineapple salsa
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Adobo Fish Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Adobo Fish Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 12 “Tacos, Tacos, Tacos”
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: ancho chiles, apple cider vinegar, cilantro, corn tortillas, fish, jalapeno, onion, pati's mexican table, pineapple, red snapper, rockfish, sea bass, serrano chiles, snook, tacos, Tilapia
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 oz or 3 ancho chiles rinsed, stemmed and seeded
  • 1/2 cup white onion coarsely-chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound of mild and firm fish fillets like snapper striped bass, rock fish, snook or tilapia
  • 4 pineapple slices
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano chile chopped, or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • To taste kosher or coarse sea salt
  • corn tortillas

Instructions

To make the Adobo Sauce:

  • Cover the chiles with boiling hot water and let them soak for 10 minutes. Pace the chiles along with 1/2 cup of soaking liquid, onion, garlic, oregano, vinegar, sugar and salt in the blender. Purée until smooth.
  • In a saucepan set over medium heat, heat the oil. Once hot, pour the sauce into the oil; cover the saucepan, leaving it slightly open, and let the sauce season and thicken for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring here and there. Remove from the heat.

To make the Fish:

  • Baste the fish fillets with the adobo sauce; you may refrigerate them and let them marinate for up to 24 hours.
  • In a large skillet coated with oil and set over medium-high heat, cook the fish for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

To make the Salsa:

  • Heat a grill pan, a grill or a nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and lightly coat with safflower or corn oil. Cook the pineapple slices for about 4 minutes per side until they are slightly charred. Remove from the heat, once cool enough to handle cut into bite-size chunks. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with the cilantro, chile, lime juice, oil and salt to taste.

To assemble Tacos:

  • Place the warm tortillas, the pineapple salsa and the fish on the table, then assemble the tacos!

Notes

Tacos de Pescado Adobado con Salsa de Piña

Lime-Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Corn Guacamole

lime rubbed chicken tacos
Print Recipe
4.15 from 7 votes

Lime-Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Corn Guacamole

Lime-Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Corn Guacamole recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 12 “Tacos, Tacos, Tacos”
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, chicken, Corn, corn tortillas, guacamole, jalapeno, lime, pati's mexican table, tacos, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried

For the corn guacamole:

  • 2 large ripe Mexican avocados halved, pitted and diced
  • 1 jalapeno chile roasted, chopped, or to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves roasted with the skin on, peeled and minced
  • 3/4 cup corn kernels shaved from corn, or cooked from thawed
  • 3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved or chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste

To assemble tacos:

Instructions

To make the chicken:

  • Mix the lime juice with the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper and rosemary in a bowl. Pour on top of the chicken, in a container. Cover and refrigerate anywhere from 1/2 hour up to 12 hours.
  • Heat a medium-sized sauté or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add corn or safflower oil; once it is hot but not smoking, add the chicken. Sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan, place on chopping board to cool. When cool enough to handle, slice into diagonal strips about a 1/2-inch wide.

To make the guacamole:

  • Place the jalapeño and garlic cloves in a small baking dish under the broiler, for 6 to 9 minutes, until completely cooked through, soft and skin is charred. Once cool enough to handle, peel garlic and mince along with chiles.
  • Place diced avocado in a mixing bowl. Add the charred and minced garlic and jalapeños, gently tossing everything together well. Incorporate the corn and tomatoes. Squeeze the lime juice on top and sprinkle the salt. Mix it all together.

To assemble tacos:

  • In an already hot skillet or comal set over medium-low heat, heat the tortillas. It will take about 1 minute per side.
  • Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin. Serve them together with the guacamole and the chicken at the table and assemble your tacos!

Notes

Tacos de Pollo con Guacamole y Elote

Bricklayer-Style Beef Tacos

bricklayer tacos
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Bricklayer-Style Beef Tacos

Bricklayer-Style Beef Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 12 “Tacos, Tacos, Tacos”
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bacon, beef, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, jalapeno, onion, pati's mexican table, peppers, tacos, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bacon sliced
  • 2 pounds beef sirloin or tenderloin cut into 1″ pieces
  • To taste kosher or sea salt
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups white onion slivered or sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chile sliced, seeding optional, or to taste
  • 1 pound ripe Roma tomatoes
  • Flour or corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Place tomatoes in a baking dish and under the broiler for 6 to 9 minutes, until charred, mushy and juices have begun to run. Once cool, roughly chop, but don’t discard the juices.
  • Heat the skillet, add the bacon and cook until it is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and season with salt and pepper and sear for about 2 minutes per side.
  • Add in the onion and jalapeño and let them soften for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and before it browns, in less than a minute, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir here and there and let it all season for about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • In a skillet or comal, set over medium-low heat, heat the tortillas. It will take about 1 minute per side. Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin.
  • Serve along with the tenderloin tips; guests can fill the tortillas with the amount of filling they desire.

Notes

Tacos al Albañil

Chicken Flautas

Pati Jinich Chicken Flautas recipe
Print Recipe
4.58 from 7 votes

Chicken Flautas

Chicken Flautas recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 5 “Mexican-Style Kids’ Party”
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken, corn tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, mexican crema, pati's mexican table, queso fresco, Tomatoes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 16 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup Mexican cream
  • 1 cup salsa of your choice
  • 1 head romaine lettuce sliced
  • 1 cup queso fresco crumbled
  • Serve with guacamole or salsa verde

Instructions

  • In a deep skillet, preheat 1 inch deep of oil to 350 degrees, set over medium heat. Or you can also test if the oil is ready for frying the flautas, by dipping a flauta or tortilla to see if the oil actively bubbles around it.
  • Place a comal or a dry skillet over medium heat until hot, then heat the tortillas on the comal for about 30 seconds per side; this will prevent them from breaking when rolling them into flautas.
  • Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken on each tortilla and roll them tightly. They should be thin, not chubby rolls. You can insert wooden toothpicks through 2 to 3 flautas at a time, so they will fry evenly and hold their shape.
  • Once the oil is hot, gently dip the flautas in it. Fry them until they have crisped and turned golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them over so they will brown evenly, for another minute. Remove the flautas from the oil and put them on a plate or tray lined with paper towels.
  • Alternatively, you may want to toast the flautas on a comal or bake in the oven lightly brushed with oil at 375, for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Arrange them on a serving platter and garnish with lettuce, cheese, Mexican cream and salsa, or let your guests tailor to their taste.

Notes

Flautas de Pollo

Eat your Tacos de Lengua, or else I will

When it comes to eating meat, Mexico goes from nose to tail. From menudo to pancita, and from tostadas de pata to tacos de cabeza, not only do we know how to cook each part well, we go on to dress and celebrate it on the plate.

As for me, the only part I haven’t warmed up to is sesos. My dad tricked me into eating some, when I was around 8 years old, in a quesadilla from a street stand that he said was filled with potatoes (…caught you on the first bite, papi!).

No doubt, one of the most popular and tastiest parts is the tongue.

Not a fan? Then you just haven’t given it a real try. With abandon and an open mind.

Oh, what’s that? You tried it and haven’t been converted yet? Then I assure you, what you have tried wasn’t cooked right.

If you are not a meat eater…go ahead, skip this post. Or by the time you are done, you will have witnessed an ode to the tongue.

Take one of the simplest ways we prepare it: cooked in a gently simmering broth, seasoned with a subtle combination of herbs and spices, until utterly tender. Then it is peeled, diced, and given a quick sear along with chopped onions and a sprinkle of salt. It ends up a perfectly browned, melt in your mouth, crazy good tasting filling for tacos when generously spooned on warm corn tortillas

tacos de lengua

Having a gamey taste and that ridiculously tender texture, the best salsa to pair it with is a tangy and punchy cooked salsa verde

tacos de lengua with salsa

And a must: garnish with fresh, bright cilantro.

tacos de lengua with salsa and cilantro

Also a must: top it off with crunchy, sweet white onion.

finished tacos de lengua

That is your basic, most exquisite tongue taco.

After tacos de lengua, my favorite way of eating tongue is in a stew, either with salsa verde and potatoes or a la veracruzana. But we have to leave something for a next time…

tacos de lengua
Print Recipe
4.67 from 6 votes

Tongue Tacos

If you are not a meat eater…go ahead, skip this post. Or by the time you are done, you will have witnessed an ode to the tongue. Take one of the simplest ways we prepare it: cooked in a gently simmering broth, seasoned with a subtle combination of herbs and spices, until utterly tender. Then it is peeled, diced, and given a quick sear along with chopped onions and a sprinkle of salt. It ends up a perfectly browned, melt in your mouth, crazy good tasting filling for tacos when generously spooned on warm corn tortillas…
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef, cilantro, corn tortillas, garlic, lime, onion, salsa verde, tongue
Servings: 5 to 6 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 whole beef tongue, about 3 to 4 pounds cut into 2 to 3 pieces(ask the butcher or do it yourself)
  • 1 head of garlic outer dry peel removed split in half horizontally
  • 1 white onion outer peel removed, split in half horizontally
  • 5 whole dried bay leaves
  • 15 black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt plus more for seasoning
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion, divided (1/4 for cooking with the meat and 1/4 to reserve for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and upper part of stems coarsely chopped
  • 1 batch of Cooked Salsa Verde
  • 1 lime cut in quarters, optional garnish
  • 10 to 12 corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Place tongue, garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, marjoram, thyme, oregano and 1 tablespoon salt in a casserole or soup pot. Cover with water up to 2 inches above the tongue.
  • Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle medium simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 3 hours, or until the tongue is completely tender and soft. Check the water halfway through and add more hot water if need be to keep the tongue mostly covered.
  • Turn off the heat. Let cool slightly in the liquid until you are ready to eat.
  • Remove the tongue from the broth and place on a chopping board. Using a small sharp knife and your hands, remove the outer layer of skin, as well as the bottom part of the tongue, which would attach it to the mouth, as it tends to be harder and greasy. The tongue is easier to peel if it is still warm or hot.
  • Slice into 1/4-inch slices and cut into about a 1/4-inch dice.
  • Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup of the chopped onion and cook for a couple minutes, until softened. Incorporate diced tongue, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and the onion has completely softened. Turn off the heat.
  • Heat corn tortillas on an already heated comal over medium heat. Make sure the tortillas are thoroughly heated and lightly browned on both sides. Place in a clean kitchen towel and wrap to keep warm, or keep in a tortilla warmer.
  • Place the tongue in a bowl and start assembling the tacos: spoon a generous amount of tongue in the middle of the tortilla, spoon a generous amount of salsa verde on top, and garnish with fresh chopped onion and cilantro. If desired, add a gentle squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Notes

Tacos de Lengua

Tacos de Canasta

Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Tacos de Canasta

Tacos de Canasta recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 4, Episode 3 “Taco Night”
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cheese, cilantro, corn tortillas, epazote, garlic, green onions, jalapeno, onion, pati's mexican table, requesón, tacos, Tomatoes
Servings: 12 tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/2 -inch slice of white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup finely sliced scallions or cebollitas de cambray in Mexico
  • 1 jalapeno chile seeded and finely chopped, more or less to taste
  • 1 pound roma tomatoes chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or epazote
  • 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) requesón or farmer’s cheese

Instructions

  • Prepare a basket: Line it with large, thick layers of plastic wrap to cover the entire interior of the basket (they should be big enough that they cover the interior of the basket and fold over the top). Place a couple kitchen towels in the bottom of the basket on top of the plastic. Lastly, add butchers’ style paper or parchment paper on top of the kitchen towels and on the side of the basket.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough oil to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Once hot, add the onion slice and garlic cloves, let them brown for at least 10 minutes.
  • Pass the corn tortillas, one by one with a set of tongs, “through hot oil.” That is, quickly fry for 3 seconds per side, and set on a cooling rack or plate covered with paper towels, until all are done.
  • In another skillet, set over medium heat, pour 3 tablespoons of the onion and garlic seasoned oil. Once hot, add the scallions or cebollitas and chile, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes and salt, and cook stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes until completely cooked and mushy. Stir in cilantro or epazote, cook for a couple more minutes and remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the requesón, along with the tomato mixture and season with more salt to taste, if needed.
  • Pre-heat a comal or skillet over medium heat.
  • One by one, add a couple tablespoons of the cheese and tomato mix into a fried tortilla and fold into a half-moon shape. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. (You may eat them at this point, but they won’t be “basket” or “sweaty” tacos yet!) Place the filled tortillas on the hot comal or skillet. Heat thoroughly for about a minute per side.
  • Arrange the heated tacos in layers in the basket as they come off comal. Once you are done, add another layer of paper over the tacos, cover with another kitchen towel, and finally the plastic, which should fold over it all from the interior lining of the basket. Let the tacos rest and sweat (at least 10 minutes) and keep covered until ready to eat.
  • Serve with your choice of salsa, slices of Mexican avocado or pickled jalapeños.

Bricklayer Tacos

A taco is a beautiful thing.

One of the most satisfying, versatile, exciting, and downright honest foods I can think of.

Plus, there is no need or mood a taco can’t tackle.

You are hungry and have but one peso in your pocket? Eat a Taco de Nada. You pass a tortillería on your way home? A Taco de Sal will hold you off until you get there. A deep hangover ails you? Go for Tacos de Barbacoa with Salsa Borracha. Did you say you have a broken heart? A pair of fully stocked Tacos al Pastor will be your most effective rebound. You are home with a cold? Soft chicken tacos dipped in fresh crema will make you all better, no doubt about that. Need to feed your teen kid and his buddies before they head out? Crispy Potato and Chorizo Tacos dressed with shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco and Salsa Verde will make them happy and fill them up. It’s lunchtime and you are on the road? If you are in Mexico (or somewhere with a large Mexican community), you will find someone with a huge basket selling Tacos Sudados to go. Planning a backyard party? Tacos de Carnitas will kick it off, without you even saying a word.

I could write an endless post on all sorts of tacos and all they can do for you… But, if you want to feed your family a generous, satiating, and super tasty weeknight meal, make them bricklayer tacos. Step by step instructions follow below. But as I cook, let me quickly reflect on The Taco.

bacon for bricklayer tacos
Start with a large casserole or skillet and fry some bacon until crisp.

Whenever I teach Mexican cooking, I never fail to say that the food of a country resembles its people. The taco, the most emblematic of Mexican foods, fully embodies Mexico and its people. Through the gazillion different kinds of tacos that have existed, we can explore the evolution of Mexico and the identity of Mexicans. The stories told by each taco, linked to one another, holds us Mexicans (and Mexican food lovers) together.  I am getting a tad too philosophical about tacos, I know, but just think about the possibilities.

meat cooking in the bacon

You don’t need to add any other fat.  You will add tender pieces of tenderloin or sirloin straight into the bacon fat. Sprinkle with salt nd pepper, and let the meat brown without fully cooking.

There is no exact date on when the taco came to be. It existed before the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, in pre-Hispanic times, for sure. There is anthropological evidence that it was thousands, not hundreds of years, before the Spanish conquest that people in Mexico were eating tacos (even if they weren’t called that). Indigenous people had domesticated corn and found a way to make it fully nutritious by way of the nixtamalization process (where corn is shucked, dried, cooked in slaked lime or ashes, hulled and ground) and turned into a malleable dough to be used in a thousand different ways, including tamales, drinks, all sorts of patties and that flat bread we call tortilla.

adding onion and jalapenos to the bricklayer taco filling
Add onion and jalapeños.

Now, how long since has the tortilla been used as an edible plate, or torn into pieces to scoop up food as an edible spoon, or held in hand to wrap a filling to munch on? I am guessing more years than you probably are. The filling could have been cactus paddle or iguana, who knows.

adding garlic to the bricklayer taco filling
Add garlic and cook for less than a minute, until garlic is fragrant.

The first documented tacos appeared in the “Truthful History of the Conquest of New Spain” (1520), by Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a conquistador. He reported a taco feast, enjoyed by Hernán Cortes and many of his commanders, where many kinds of fillings were eaten wrapped in tortillas. Friar Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish ethnographer, also wrote about many different kinds of tortillas based on corn (different colors including yellow, blue and white; small and large; thin and thick) during the time of the conquest, in his “General History of the Things in new Spain.” It wasn’t until the Spanish arrived that the flour tortilla came to be, as they are the ones who introduced wheat.

charred tomatoes
Add chopped roasted tomatoes. This is how they need to look, charred, juicy and mushy.

According to Jeffrey M. Pilcher, Mexican silver miners invented the taco, but he is most likely referring to the word. The word taco also refers to any small piece of material that can fit into a hole or gap, such as the pieces of paper wrapped around gun powder that were used to extract precious metals from ore, in that same shape. Workers in Mexican silver mines in the 18th century called their meals Tacos Mineros. Though there may be a link to the shape of the other kind of “tacos,” we know for a fact that edible tacos have existed for thousands of years before those.

chopped charred tomatoes
Did I say chop up the tomatoes?

So yes, indeed, there are Tacos Mineros, but there are also tacos for and of absolutely EVERYTHING else, including the Tacos de Albañíl, or Bricklayer-style Tacos, that I am here showing you how to make. They’ve been baptized as such, for they are quick to prepare, very filling and need nothing else to be added on the side or on top.

They can also be prepared on site in a comal and  can use any kind of available meat, as long as it is cut in small bite size pieces. Tacos de albañíl sellers can also be  found near construction sites. Just walk around Mexico City, or come over on a weeknight as it is also one of my family’s favorite fast meals. And you get to pick what kind of tortilla you want, flour or corn.

adding charred tomatoes to the bricklayer taco filling
Add to the mix and cook for a few more minutes.

Soft taco, crispy taco, hard shell taco (wish I didn’t have to say Taco Bell taco but we can’t ignore they have in a way helped to spread the word), puffy taco… I hope you add these Bricklayer-style Tacos to your collection of taco recipes.

finished bricklayer taco filling
You are done. Set it on the table.

Wait, you don’t have a taco recipe collection? Make this your first one!

bricklayer tacos
Warm up your choice of tortillas, corn or flour. And let everyone have a go!

bricklayer tacos
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Bricklayer Tacos

I could write an endless post on all sorts of tacos and all they can do for you… But, if you want to feed your family a generous, satiating, and super tasty weeknight meal, make them bricklayer tacos. Step by step instructions follow below. But as I cook, let me quickly reflect on The Taco.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bacon, beef, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, garlic, jalapeno, onion, Recipe, Taco, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bacon sliced
  • 2 pounds beef sirloin o