Tortas Ahogadas Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Mix the 16 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of minced oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt, and pepper in a bowl. Rub garlic mixture over the pork butt, and place pork in a shallow roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue roasting until pork is tender and no longer pink in the center, about 2 hours and 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Cover the meat with two layers of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 20 minutes before rough chopping or shredding it. Reserve pan drippings.
• Place the chipotle peppers in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Allow peppers to soak until softened, about 3 minutes; drain. Set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in 8 cloves of minced garlic and the chopped onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Roma tomatoes, 1 cup of water, chipotle chili peppers, 5 teaspoons of oregano, sugar, and salt to taste. Add the reserved pan drippings. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pour the chipotle sauce into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the sauce moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the sauce right in the skillet. Strain the sauce through a sieve.
• To serve: Hollow out the bottom half of each bolillo to make a shallow bowl for the chopped pork. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the chipotle sauce over the bottom of each roll, then arrange the chopped pork over the sauce. Top each sandwich with a couple slices of pickled jalapeno, followed by the top half of the roll. Pour about 1/4 cup of additional chipotle sauce over the entire sandwich.

Steps:

• Add the pork to a large pot along with the salt, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, lime juice and 2 cups water.
• Give the orange halves a squeeze over the pork and tuck the juiced halves into the pork. Cook on high heat until it reaches a boil, then turn down the heat slightly and allow the pork to simmer until very tender, about 2 hours. (As the pork cooks, the liquid will evaporate off, and towards the end of the cooking time, the pork will begin to fry in its own fat. The carnitas are done when they are cooked through, break apart easily with a fork, and are beginning to brown. If you notice that your pork is cooked but not frying, try adding some oil.)
• To assemble a torta, butter both sides of a bun and press in a panini press at 350 degrees F until slightly toasted and steaming on the inside, about a minute. Fill the bun with 1/2 cup carnitas, shaking off any excess liquid from the meat. Top the carnitas with a generous helping of Habanero Slaw and a few sprigs of cilantro. Close the torta and cut crosswise on a bias.
• Pour 3/4 cup hot Ahogada Salsa over each torta (make sure the plates you use have a bit of a rim to contain the salsa!). Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 11 more tortas.
• Best eaten with your hands!
• Halve the onion and slice very thinly. Seed the habanero chiles (we recommend using gloves as the seeds are very hot!) and slice very thinly. Combine onions, habanero chiles, oregano, salt and lime in a small bowl. Allow to rest in the refrigerator at least one hour (and up to one day) before using so that the onions become slightly soft and pickled.
• Combine the tomato-chile sauce and the chicken drippings in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Devein the chiles and soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Drain the chiles, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the sauce to remove any large particles. Season the sauce with the salt, to finish.
• On a hot griddle, with the olive oil, saute the pork until fully cooked. Spread the refried beans on one side of the sub roll. Lay the pork on top of the refried beans, and top with the tomatoes, avocados, and onion. Sprinkle the sandwich with oregano and finish with a portion of the sauce.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped tomatoes with chiles, tomato sauce, cilantro, chipotles, adobo sauce, lime juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to gently cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To prepare the meat filling:
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Cook and stir until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno, stirring to incorporate. Cook and stir for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are well browned and the garlic and jalapenos soften. Add the meat and toss until heated through and well combined, about 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce to the roast beef mixture, tossing to coat.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and add the broth. Using an immersion or standard blender, puree the sauce until smooth, it should be thin. Ladle the sauce into 4 bowls for dipping. Be sure the bowls are large enough so the sauce doesn't slop out when the sandwich is dipped.
• To serve:
• Spread the smashed avocado on the both side of the roll. Pile the meat filling on the bottom halves of the sandwich buns, close, and cut each sandwich in half. Arrange each sandwich on a plate with the dipping sauce on the side. Dip and eat!

Steps:

• For the braised pork butt: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic, paprika, mustard, coriander, salt and pepper. Pat the pork dry, then coat it with the rub.
• In a large cast-iron pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Sear the pork until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the beer, cover the pan tightly with foil and transfer it to the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let the pork cool a bit before shredding.
• For the tomato sauce: Soak the chile de arbol for 20 minutes in warm water. Once rehydrated, remove the stems and seeds and roughly chop. Heat the canola in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chile de arbol, jalapeno, garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the vinegar, tomatoes and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring often. When done, puree the sauce until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To assemble the sandwich: Slice the bolillos in half, leaving them hinged at one end. Brush the insides with olive oil. Place the bolillos cut-side up on a baking sheet; transfer to the oven and toast until crispy, about 5 minutes. Fill each bolillo with some shredded pork, topped with some tomato sauce, shredded cabbage, cilantro, pico de gallo and pickled red onions. Serve.
• In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, lime juice, red onion, cilantro and garlic. Mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
• Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, the onions and some sea salt, and saute until the onions are just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, cayenne, cinnamon, start anise, honey, red wine vinegar and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Remove the whole spices and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Cut the baguette open (not all the way), then spread the Puerco Beans inside, and stuff it with the Smoked Carnitas. Cut it in half for better handling purposes, place it in a bowl, and top it with the Tomato Salsa. Garnish with the Pickled Red Onions. Serve with the Spicy Salsa and lime wedge.
• Cook the pinto beans in a pot with 1 gallon of water and the salt until tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat another pot for about 2 minutes and add the lard. Let it heat for another minute, then add the chorizo and bacon. Let cook 5 minutes, then add the onion and serrano pepper and let it cook for another 3 minutes, stirring the mixture occasionally. Add the beer to deglaze, then let it reduce for 5 minutes.
• Grab the cooked beans and add them to the mixture. Let it boil, then add the pickled jalapeños and vinegar and bring it to boil, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and check the seasoning.
• Dice the pork butt into 2-inch pieces. In a pot, heat up the lard to around 350 degrees F (about 5 minutes). Add the pork butt pieces and sear them for about 7 minutes. Squeeze the juice of the orange into the pot, then drop the orange into the pot. Add the garlic, bay leaves, oregano, cola and salt, then turn it down to medium-low heat. Cook until the meat is tender, about 40 minutes, then add the liquid smoke and let cook for 5 more minutes. Strain the carnitas and enjoy.
• Remove the seeds and veins from the guajillo peppers. Put the peppers in a small pot together with the tomatoes, garlic and 3 quarts water. Place the pot on the stove and boil them until the tomatoes are fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
• Strain the vegetables, retaining their water, then put them in a blender. Add some of the vegetable water, covering the vegetables halfway, then add the salt, oregano, cumin, pepper and vinegar. Blend together and check the seasoning.
• Cut the onions in juliennes, then put them in a mixing bowl. Cut the beet into chunks and add them to the bowl. Add the vinegar, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper and 3 ounces water. Cover and let them sit overnight; check the seasoning.
• Put the chile pods, garlic and 1 quart water in a pot and boil for 10 minutes. Strain the chile pods and garlic, reserving the water. Blend them with the vinegar, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and 8 ounces of the cooking water. Pass the mixture through a strainer. It is ready to spice up your life.

Steps:

• For the tomato salsa, boil tomatoes. In a blender, puree with the garlic and water. Add the oregano and salt to taste.
• For the spicy sauce, boil the arbol chiles. In a blender, puree with the garlic, crackers, hot sauce and water. Strain.
• For the onions, add the vinegar, lime juice, and water. Let it marinade for 15 minutes. Season with salt.
• To assemble, cut the bolillos in half. Spread the refried beans on both sides. Add the meat. Pour the tomato sauce over it. Add the desired amount of spicy sauce. Top off with the marinated onions.

Steps:

• Make the salsa: Combine the chiles, onion, garlic and tomatoes with 1 cup water and a generous pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-low heat and simmer until the chiles are rehydrated and the other ingredients have softened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender or food processor along with the apple cider vinegar (reserve the saucepan) and blend until completely smooth. Return salsa to the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to marry all the flavors. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
• Meanwhile, prepare the onion: Toss the onion with the lemon juice, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the tortas: Combine the beans, red-pepper flakes, cumin, 1 cup water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Once hot, carefully pour the mixture into the same blender or food processor used for the salsa (no need to wash in between uses) and blend until smooth.
• Heat a broiler to medium with a rack placed 6 inches from the heat source. To warm and crisp the bread, place the bread halves on a baking sheet cut sides down and broil until warmed through and slightly crusty on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Assemble the dish by spreading a thick layer of salsa on each of 4 serving dishes. Place the bottom pieces of bread on the salsa cut sides up and divide the beans, onion and bread tops among them. Ladle the remaining salsa over the sandwiches until they're completely soaked. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve.

Steps:

• Make the carnitas: Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
• In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin.
• Set the pork butt on a rimmed baking sheet and pat try with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture over the pork butt to cover completely.
• Cut the oranges in half and juice. Set the juice aside.
• Spread the orange rinds, garlic, and onion in an even layer on the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot. Place the pork butt on top and pour the orange juice over. Cover the pot with a lid or 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil and cook in the oven until the pork is tender and can be shredded with a fork, about 8 hours.
• Make the tomato salsa: Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onion begins to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and margarine and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend on medium-high speed until completely smooth.
• Pour the salsa back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Rinse out the blender basin.
• Make the red onion escabeche: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, salt, and oregano. Add the onion and toss to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Make the spicy salsa: In a large pan over medium-high heat, toast the Japones chiles until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove the chiles from the pan and set aside.
• Heat the canola oil in the same pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onion begins to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the salt and cumin and continue cooking until the tomatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to the blender. Add the toasted chiles and distilled white vinegar and blend on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Assemble the tortas: Use a fork to shred the carnitas.
• Cut the birotes down the middle, leaving one long side intact, like a hot dog bun. Fill the rolls with carnitas and pour the tomato salsa on top. Serve with the spicy salsa, escabeche, and lime wedges.
• Enjoy!