Tacos, Tostadas & Sopes

Bricklayer-Style Beef Tacos

Posted on by Pati Jinich
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

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Pati Jinich Chicken Flautas recipe
Print Recipe
4.72 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

Posted on by Pati Jinich

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

Posted on by Pati Jinich
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

Posted on by Pati Jinich

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
4.67 from 6 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 or tenderloin cut into 1-inch 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

Tostada Buzz: To infinity, and beyond!

Posted on by patiadmin

I am so surprised tostadas haven’t become wildly popular in the US. Here are some reasons for my surprise…

They can be assembled in a couple minutes, as ingredients can be prepared beforehand or store-bought. They can be eaten anytime of day, depending on what you layer on them. They are a wholesome one stop meal, for proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates happily mingle in there. They are accommodating, you can decide how much to add of each topping. They are forgiving, choices can vary from one tostada to the next. Moreover, they are fun to prepare, eat and share.

In a sense, they are the perfect dish for casual entertaining. So much of Mexican food just lends itself to being in a Fiesta mood.

What can you layer on a tostada? Well, almost anything! There are regional specialties, traditional favorites, modern twists and family staples. Yet, after the hundreds of variations there is a lot of room to play and create your own. But for a memorable tostada, you need to know some simple basics.

First of all, start with a good tostada. A tostada is a corn tortilla that is either toasted (that is what the word tostada translates to in English) or deep fried until golden and crisp.

Now, you can go as hands on as you want. You can make your own tortillas or buy the already made tortillas and make your own tostadas. But there are pretty good ready to eat tostadas at the stores. If that’s the way you want to go, try a couple brands to see which you like best. They do taste different. Once you have the tostadas, you already have a filling, crunchy and sturdy base for your creation.

The most common tostadas add a layer of smooth and tasty refried beans, home made or store bought. From there, you can go many ways.

My sister Karen likes to host tostada parties. She places a basket with tostadas, a bowl of refried beans and different hearty toppings (which shouldn’t be too saucy, just nice and moist, as tostadas are somewhat flat), such as chicken tinga and shredded beef in a chile sauce. She plates fresh garnishes, like Mexican avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, cream and crumbled cheese. Her guests just go around the table adding whatever they feel like on top.

I will leave you with the ones I make most often at home. My kids are happy adding crumbled cheese and Mexican cream on top of the refried beans. I am more satisfied throwing in some shredded chicken, tomato, lettuce, ripe avocado and a salsa verde, made with tomatillos, to drizzle on top.

Don’t let any version stop you though. You may start with the tostadas and the refried beans. From there, it is up to your imagination. It can go to infinity, and beyond!

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Basic Tostadas

I am so surprised tostadas haven’t become wildly popular in the US. Here are some reasons for my surprise…They can be assembled in a couple minutes, as ingredients can be prepared beforehand or store-bought. They can be eaten anytime of day, depending on what you layer on them. They are a wholesome one stop meal, for proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates happily mingle in there. They are accommodating, you can decide how much to add of each topping. They are forgiving, choices can vary from one tostada to the next. Moreover, they are fun to prepare, eat and share.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Antojos
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, Avocado, beans, chicken, corn tortillas, cotija, mexican crema, pati's mexican table, queso fresco, Recipe, refried beans, salsa verde, Tomatoes, tortilla
Servings: 12 tostadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 12 corn tostadas
  • 2 cups refried beans warmed up
  • 2 cups shredded chicken
  • 1 cup finely sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce
  • 1 ripe Mexican avocado pitted, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup tomato sliced
  • 1/2 cup Mexican or Latin style cream
  • 1 cup green tomatillo salsa or your salsa of choice
  • 1 cup Cotija, Fresco or Farmers Cheese crumbled

Instructions

  • Place the tostadas on a large platter and all of the toppings and garnishes in separate bowls.
  • For a complete basic tostada: Layer a couple tablespoons of refried beans on the tostada. Spread a couple tablespoons of shredded chicken, lettuce, and one or two slices each of avocado and tomato. Top it all with a tablespoon or so of crumbled cheese and cream. Drizzle some green salsa, if you wish, to your liking.

Notes

Tostadas