a Mexican fiesta

 

a friend's Mexican fiesta

​Inspired by Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen, this month's cookbook from my club held at SubText, I gathered some friends for a fiesta of our own. The morning of, I awoke with a taste for smothered chiles and spiced beans between sliced bolillo (Mexican bread), avocado, with that undeniably-satisfying crunch of cabbage. Images of dancing tortas appeared between my eyes as I tried recalling my dreams. That's when I knew what I was going to prepare for the feast. Others told me they would bring Mexican rice, guacamole, cheese dip, homemade hot sauces (including a new method of clarified hot sauce, more on that coming soon), mango salad, and a tomato black bean salad to accompany. Conditions were perfect.
 
​....and, purely for fun because it crossed my mind, and because I'm a fan, I couldn't help but include this Flight of the Concords clip where conditions were also perfect: 
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Sorry for the random video. It just felt right.

Anyway, back to tortas. ​Rather than make individual tortas, I prepared all the components separately. Everyone chose their own salsas, protein, and stuffings to build individual, customizable sandwiches.

Here's a look into the creation of my vegetarian version of a torta. It's loaded with fiber, lean protein, and has a wonderful smoky flavor from the homemade adobo sauce with just a touch of brightness from the tomatillo & jalapeño salsa. A nutritious take on a classic Mexican sandwich that will have you begging for seconds. Diner tested, dietitian approved.

vegetarian adobo black bean tortas

Serves 4 large tortas, or 8 (more manageable) halves 

​Ingredients: 
1 cup adobo sauce (recipe below or store bought) 
2 cups black beans cooked
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 tsp salt 
1 cup cotjia cheese (optional)
salsa jalapeño (see recipe below)
1/2 cup crema*
1 avocado, sliced 
4 bolillo (Mexican sandwich rolls) cut in half lengthwise and widthwise 
*can substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream 

Directions: 
Heat the beans in the adobo sauce and keep warm until ready to use. In a small bowl, combine the cabbage with salt. When ready for assembly, in the following order, layer your sandwich in this order: bread bottom, beans, cotjia cheese, salsa, crema, avocado, bread top. 
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adobo sauce

​This recipe makes 1-2 cups, which ultimately depends on your desired consistency. 

Ingredients: 
4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded 
6 cloves garlic
1 white onion, cut into thick wedges
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup parsley with stems
1/4 cup oil 
2 teaspoon cumin, ground  
1 teaspoon coriander, ground

Directions: 
In a 2 quarts boiling water, add the chiles, garlic, and onion. Cook for 30 minutes and puree in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Adjust with chile water until you reach desired consistency. 
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salsa jalapeño

​Ingredients: 
2 jalapeños, stemmed 
8 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 bunch cilantro 
1/4 cup white onion 

Directions: 
In a blender, combine all ingredients and allow to chill until ready to serve. Sometimes the end result may be bitter. Feel free to experiment here and adjust the flavor using agave or a pinch of sugar to offset the bitter notes. 

​And be sure to check out my recipe for black beans and burdock for more plant-based protein goodness.
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