Recipes

Masa Cups with Mushrooms and Chiles

Masa Cups with Mushrooms and Chiles

Garnachas de Hongos y Chiles Poblanos Garnachas are cup-shaped shells formed with corn tortilla dough from Yucatán. The shells are fried and filled with any number of things. Mushrooms, poblano chiles, and a spicy sauce fill these garnachas.
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Ingredients

Makes about 12 appetizers

  • Basic Corn Tortilla Dough
  • All-purpose flour for dusting
  • Mushrooms and Poblano Chiles in Guajillo Sauce
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Finely chopped epazote leaves or fresh cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

  • Make the masa dough (tortilla dough) and roll into approximately golf-ball-size pieces.
  • Flatten each ball to about 2½ inches.
  • Using thumbs and fingers, pinch up the edges all around and form into shallow bowls about ¾ inch deep.
  • Place the formed shells on a baking sheet, dusted with flour.
  • Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out while preparing the mushroom filling.
  • In a heavy medium skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1½ inches.
  • When the oil shimmers, fry the shells, in batches, on both sides until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Fill the shells with the mushroom mixture while still hot.
  • Sprinkle the tops with chopped epazote leaves or cilantro, if desired, and serve at once.
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Course; Appetizer
Cuisine; Mexican

Masa Cups with Spicy Meat Filling

Masa Cups with Spicy Meat Filling

Garnachas con Carne Molida
Fresh masa dough is formed into small cups or shells called garnachas in Yucatán. One minor difference with sopes is that these garnacha cups are deeper. The little shells are finger food and can be filled with just about anything.
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Ingredients

Makes about 16 appetizers

  • Basic Corn Tortilla Dough
  • All-purpose flour for dusting
  • Vegetable oi l for frying
  • 1 pound lean ground pork or beef
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
  • 2 medium tomatoes peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon bottled chipotle salsa
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Fresh salsa sour cream, and chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  • Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour.
  • Make the masa dough (tortilla dough) and roll into approximately golf-ball size pieces.
  • Flatten each ball to about 2½ inches.
  • Using thumbs and fingers, pinch up the edges all around and form into shallow bowls about 3⁄4-inch deep.
  • Place the formed shells on the baking sheet.
  • Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out until ready to fry.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
  • Break up the meat and add to the hot oil.
  • Cook, stirring until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the onion, garlic, and oregano.
  • Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes and chipotle salsa.
  • Raise the heat and cook briskly to reduce the juices.
  • Season with salt.
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Keep warm while frying the shells.
  • In a heavy medium skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1½ inches.
  • When the oil shimmers, fry the shells in batches, on both sides, until golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Fill the shells with the meat mixture while still hot.
  • Top with a little salsa, sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro, if desired.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Appetizer / Beef / Pork
Cuisine; Mexican

Ground Beef Sopes

Ground Beef Sopes

Sopes con Carne Molida Spicy ground beef is an easy topping that almost everyone likes for rustic finger foods called sopes. Prepare all the parts ahead and keep them warm. Masa shells are fried just before being filled, and need to be served right away. For convenience, mix the ground beef with a prepared red salsa of your choice.
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Ingredients

Makes about 16 appetizers

Instructions

  • Prepare the masa shells.
  • Cover and set aside.
  • Then, in a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up lumps into small bits, until the meat is browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Stir in the salsa and cilantro.
  • Set aside off heat.
  • In another skillet, pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch and cook over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
  • Fry the masa shells, 3 or 4 at a time, turning once until golden on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Spread 1 teaspoon of warm refried beans on each shell.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture and top with a bit of shredded lettuce.
  • Add a dollop of sour cream.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Beef
Cuisine; Mexican

Masa Shells with Refried Beans and Chicken

Masa Shells with Refried Beans and Chicken

Sopes de Pollo y Frijoles Refritos Warm refried beans, finely diced fried potatoes, green onion, chicken, and spicy green salsa add up to one of the most popular sopes ever. The sopes and layered components can be made ahead. The final frying and filling of the sopes goes pretty fast. Make plenty, for they’ll be snapped up quickly.
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Ingredients

Makes about 16 appetizers

Instructions

  • Prepare the salsa.
  • Reserve.
  • Then, prepare the masa shells.
  • Cover and set aside.
  • Then, prepare the shredded chicken.
  • Cover and set aside, or if made ahead, refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Then, in a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the potato, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the onions, salt and pepper.
  • Cook for 1 minute.
  • Reserve in the pan off heat.
  • In another skillet, pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch and cook over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
  • Fry the masa shells, 3 or 4 at a time, turning once until golden on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Spread about 1 teaspoon of warm refried beans on each shell.
  • Add about 1 teaspoon potato and 1 tablespoon of the shredded chicken.
  • Top with 1 teaspoon of salsa and a dollop of sour cream.
  • Add a thin slice of radish on top of the sour cream, if desired.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Appetizer / Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Masa Shells with Chicken and Potatoes

Masa Shells with Chicken and Potatoes

Sopes de Pollo y Papa
Masa shells (called sopes) are served all over Mexico. They are topped with just about anything and are quite addictive!
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Ingredients

  • Masa Shells for Sopes
  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
  • Oil for frying
  • ½ medium white onion finely chopped
  • 2 cooked boiling potatoes peeled and finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup green salsa purchased or homemade
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija or mild feta cheese
  • 6 small radishes thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Prepare the masa shells.
  • Then, cover and set aside.
  • Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat in 1 cup of salted water until no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and cool the chicken in the liquid about 10 minutes.
  • When cool, shred the meat and reserve in a bowl.
  • In a medium nonstick skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the onion, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the diced potatoes and salt.
  • Cook, stirring, until the potatoes start to brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer to the bowl with the chicken.
  • Stir in the salsa.
  • Set aside.
  • Wipe out the skillet with paper towels.
  • Add fresh oil to a depth of about 1 inch and cook over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
  • Fry the reserved masa shells, 3 to 4 at a time, turning once until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Put a portion of the chicken mixture on each sope.
  • Sprinkle each with cheese and garnish with thinly sliced radish rounds.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Appetizer / Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Stuffed and Fried Flour Tortillas

Stuffed and Fried Flour Tortillas

Chimichangas Chicas de Picadillo
Chimichangas are burritos that are fried after being filled and rolled. They are found mainly in the state of Sonora in northern Mexico where very large thin flour tortillas are used. My recipe is more manageable for home cooks, and features a simplified picadillo (chopped meat) filling for small flour tortillas to be served as a first course or light snack.
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Ingredients

Makes 6 snack-size servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the tomato sauce and keep warm.
  • Then, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  • Add the meat, and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the onion and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the salsa, raisins, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is nearly dry, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and set the picadillo aside.
  • In a large dry skillet, soften the tortillas, 1 at a time, over medium heat, turning once or twice until soft and warm, about 1 minute total for each tortilla.
  • Stack and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm.
  • (Or microwave the tortillas, wrapped in damp paper towels, about 1 minute on high.
  • )
  • Preheat the oven to 200°.
  • Put 1 warm tortilla on a plate.
  • Put about 3 tablespoons filling in the center.
  • Fold the bottom up over the filling, fold in the sides, and fold the top down, overlapping, envelope style.
  • Secure with toothpicks, and put on a tray.
  • Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  • In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
  • Add the filled tortillas, 2 at a time, folded side down, and fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 45 seconds.
  • Turn and brown the second side, 30 to 40 seconds.
  • Place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying remaining chimichangas.
  • To serve, put the chimichangas on individual plates, ladle the warm tomato sauce on top, add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with cilantro.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Grilled Chicken Burritos

Grilled Chicken Burritos

Burritos de Pollo Asada
Burritos probably originated in the state of Sonora and never spread deep into Mexico, but certainly gained in fame and size when established in the United States. These grilled chicken burritos are typical of the ones made at Burritos Bol Corona in Tijuana.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Preheat a grill, broiler, or stovetop grill pan.
  • Sprinkle the chicken with salt and lime juice.
  • Brush both sides with vegetable oil.
  • Cook over hot coals, under a hot oven broiler, or in a hot grill pan until lightly browned on both sides and opaque in the center, 6 to 8 minutes total.
  • Chop into small pieces or cut into thin strips.
  • Warm the tortillas in a large hot skillet, 1 at a time, turning, until soft and pliable, about 20 seconds per tortilla.
  • Layer the warm tortillas with ¼ of the refried beans, salsa, chicken, and lettuce.
  • Fold in the sides and roll.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Chicken / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Tijuana Pork Burritos

Tijuana Pork Burritos

Tijuana Burritos de Cerdo
Thin slices of pork are seasoned, then grilled and chopped, for this type of pork burrito typical in Tijuana. The pork is wrapped in a soft flour tortilla along with avocado salsa, and shredded lettuce. Flour tortillas are used a great deal along the border of northern Mexico. Maggi is a bottled seasoning extract that's widely used in Mexican cooking. Look for it in Mexican markets.
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Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

Instructions

  • Cover the pork slices with plastic wrap and pound them to an even 1⁄4-inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
  • Put the meat in a pie plate.
  • In a small bowl combine the garlic, seasoning extract, chipotle sauce, and oil.
  • Spoon over the meat, and turn the slices several times to coat with the marinade.
  • Marinate the meat 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mash the avocado with a fork.
  • Add the tomato, onion, serrano, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
  • Stir gently to mix.
  • Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Put the seasoned meat in the pan, and cook, turning 2 to 3 times until nicely browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total.
  • Remove the meat to a cutting board and chop into bite-size pieces.
  • Transfer the chopped pork to a bowl.
  • Heat the tortillas, 1 at a time, on a hot griddle, comal, or in a dry skillet.
  • Lay 1 tortilla on a working surface, and spread with 1/6 of the avocado salsa.
  • Add 1/6 of the chopped grilled pork, and some shredded lettuce.
  • Fold in the sides and roll the tortilla into a cylinder.
  • Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve warm.
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Course; Pork / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Bean Burritos

Bean Burritos

Burritos de Frijol
Burritos are soft flour tortillas that are filled with just about anything and rolled. Burritos are traditionally eaten with the hands like a sandwich. Some sit-down restaurants provide a fork and knife to eat plump burritos.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 2 cups refried beans canned or homemade
  • 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup fresh salsa purchased or homemade

Instructions

  • Soften the tortillas in a large hot dry skillet, or heat in the microwave according to microwave instruction, until soft and pliable.
  • Spread each soft warm tortilla with ¼ of the beans and top equally with shredded cheese.
  • Fold in the sides and roll in a cylinder.
  • Heat skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, then place burrito seam-side down on the hot skillet and cook briefly, turning, until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
  • Serve hot with the salsa to add while eating.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican
Diets; Vegetarian

Yucatán Egg-Stuffed Tortillas with Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Yucatán Egg-Stuffed Tortillas with Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Papadzules
Papadzules is a traditional Mayan dish of tortillas stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, covered with pumpkin seed sauce, and topped with tomato sauce. In the traditional way, the green oil is squeezed from the pumpkin seeds to drizzle over the top of the dish as a final flourish. This extra step is time consuming, so I left it out.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the tomato sauce.
  • Then, in a large dry skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring, until aromatic, starting to brown, and popping around in the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Reserve on a plate to cool.
  • In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and cook the onion until softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
  • Transfer to a blender.
  • (Save the skillet for later use.
  • )
  • To the blender, add the reserved pumpkin seeds, epazote, chile, and ½ cup of the broth.
  • Process to a thick paste.
  • Add the remaining chicken broth, a little at a time, blending after each addition to a thick smooth sauce.
  • Transfer the sauce to a medium nonstick skillet and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until it simmers, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Do not boil, or the sauce might curdle.
  • (If it does, blend again.
  • ) Cover and reserve in the pan, off heat.
  • Reheat the tomato sauce.
  • In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil, and soften the tortillas, 1 at a time on both sides until warm and limp.
  • Stack on a plate.
  • To assemble, dip each tortilla in the pumpkin seed sauce to coat both sides.
  • Lay the coated tortilla on a plate.
  • Put a small portion of the chopped egg along the center of each tortilla, roll, and lay seam side down on a warm platter.
  • Repeat until all are dipped, filled, and rolled.
  • To serve, put 2 stuffed tortillas on each of 4 plates.
  • Top with heated tomato sauce.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Eggs / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican