I think of Tex-Mex restaurant scenes from my youth trays of smoking-hot plates bearing pairs of stuffed tortillas, smothered in enchilada gravy and with a layer of melted cheddar cheese bubbling on top, whizzing around the dining room on their way to hungry diners. In Tex-Mex cuisine, enchiladas hold a revered status, and they share their fame with tamales, tostadas, nachos, and of course, tacos. It doesn’t matter which restaurant, cantina, or dive you stop into, you’ll find all these on the menu, either à la carte or as part of a combo plate (this page).
THE ORIGINAL
COMBO PLATE
In Texas, most people have a regular neighborhood Tex-Mex haunt that serves up the standard queso, fajitas, and enchiladas, but no menu is complete without a list of combination platters, or combo plates. Some restaurants simply designate them #1, #2, or #3, while others name them after friends or family, like Lito’s Plate and the Maggie Plate.
Each includes varying combinations of classic items such as tostadas, crispy beef tacos, enchiladas, and tacos al carbón, and they always include rice and beans. Though the crispy beef taco or tostada often comes on the side to preserve the chilled lettuce and tomato, the rest of the items arrive on a big oval plate, with a final sprinkle of shredded cheese on top, dissolving into a glistening pool of grease that makes everything appear as if it’s melted together.
The average combo plate typically includes more food than any one person should really eat, but it really does offer a way to taste a tailored selection of classic Tex-Mex items in one sitting.
CHILI GRAVY is a true Tex-Mex creation. Developed in the early days of the cuisine, it falls somewhere between a chili con carne and a roux-based gravy. Some say its smoky chiles, cumin, and garlic characteristics feel Mexican, but its mild flavor and tempered spiciness make it more approachable to the American palate. Sometimes seen in stores labeled as “enchilada sauce,” this condiment is used on a number of Tex-Mex dishes, from tamales to tacos, though its signature pairing is over a cheese enchilada.
Vegetable oil, for softening tortillas
10 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
2 cups Chili Gravy (this page)
1 cup grated American cheese
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2 Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 365°F. Using tongs, dip a few tortillas at a time into the hot oil until softened, 3 or 4 seconds. Stack them on a plate and cover them with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
3 Spread ⅓ cup of the gravy over the bottom of an 8 x 12-inch baking dish.
4 In a medium bowl, combine the American cheese and 1 cup of the cheddar. Place a softened tortilla on a clean work surface, spoon ¼ cup of the cheese blend down the center, and roll it up to enclose the cheese. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and cheese blend. Top the enchiladas with the remaining gravy. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining ½ cup cheddar.
5 Bake until the cheese on top has melted and the casserole is bubbling around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and top with the onion. Let cool slightly.
6 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, crack the eggs directly into the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the whites are completely set but the yolks are still runny, 4 to 5 minutes.
7 Top the enchiladas with the eggs and serve immediately.
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
10 garlic cloves
1 pound ground beef
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Standard Chile Paste (this page)
1½ teaspoons beef bouillon
5 tablespoons chili powder (I like Gebhardt)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
In a blender or food processor, combine the onion, garlic, and 3 cups water. Purée until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beef is cooked through and the mixture is almost dry, 45 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan set over medium heat, whisk together the oil and flour. Cook, whisking continuously, until the roux is blond in color, 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the roux, chile paste, bouillon, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cloves, salt, pepper, and 3 cups water to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the flavors meld and the mixture has the consistency of a thin gravy, 5 to 10 minutes.
Use immediately, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
This is simply another way to enjoy the richness of mole. In Oaxaca, Mexico, these are called enmoladas for the addition of mole as the featured sauce. Traditionally, the tortillas are dipped in the mole first before they are rolled with fillings and broiled. The mole is then drizzled over the enchiladas when they are served. Personally, I like to let the mole bake into cheesy gooeyness instead.
Cooking spray
Vegetable oil, for softening tortillas
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
2 cups mole poblano sauce, store-bought or homemade (this page)
1 cup Shredded Smoked Chicken (recipe follows) or shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken
½ cup shredded Chihuahua cheese
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 Place a rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to broil. Spray an 8 x 12-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2 Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F.
3 Using tongs, dip a few tortillas at a time into the hot oil until softened, 3 or 4 seconds. Stack them on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
4 In a small saucepan set over medium heat, heat the mole until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep the mole hot.
5 If the chicken is cold, wrap it in aluminum foil and heat it in the oven until warmed through, 5 minutes.
6 Place a softened tortilla on a clean work surface, spoon 2 tablespoons of the chicken down the center, and roll it up to enclose the chicken. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken. Top the enchiladas with the mole and sprinkle with the Chihuahua cheese.
7 Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Top with the queso fresco and sesame seeds and serve warm.
To toast sesame seeds, place them in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook, jostling the pan regularly to keep the seeds from burning, until they brown slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not leave them unattended, as they can burn quickly. Transfer the seeds to a plate and set them aside until ready to use.
¼ cup kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon sugar
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
Vegetable oil, for brushing
In a medium bowl, combine the salt and sugar. Add 1 quart water and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add the chicken breasts, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.
When ready to cook the chicken, heat a grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat.
Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Brush the chicken all over with vegetable oil. Grill the chicken over direct heat for 3 minutes per side, then move the chicken to indirect heat and grill, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 160°F, 15 to 20 minutes more. (Cover with the grill lid if the chicken is thick and needs more time.) Remove the chicken from the grill and let it cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using two forks or tongs, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
If not using immediately, store the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
THE CLASSIC CHEESE ENCHILADA (see this page) is what most people associate with old-school Tex-Mex, but the beef enchilada has always had a seat at the table. Similar in form to a cheese enchilada—a corn tortilla filled with cheese, rolled up, and topped with a chili con carne sauce or gravy and melted cheese—the beef variety is filled with beef picadillo, the same as you find in crispy beef tacos. It’s an enchilada for beef lovers, and it’s only complete with a sprinkle of finely chopped white onion and a few slices of avocado on the side.
Vegetable oil, for softening tortillas
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
1 recipe Beef Picadillo (this page)
2 cups Chili Gravy (this page), hot, or store-bought salsa
4 ounces Chihuahua cheese, grated
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 Place a rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to broil.
2 Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F.
3 Using tongs, dip a few tortillas at a time into the hot oil until softened, 3 or 4 seconds. Stack them on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
4 Place a softened tortilla on a clean work surface, spoon 2 tablespoons of the picadillo down the center, and roll it up to enclose the beef. Place the tortilla seam-side down in a baking dish large enough to hold all the rolled tortillas in a single layer. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and picadillo. Ladle the chili gravy evenly over the tortillas and top with the cheese and onion.
5 Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
On just about every Tex-Mex menu, chicken enchiladas with verde sauce is an option. The tangy flavor of the tomatillos in the sauce is a perfect match for the corn tortillas and shredded chicken. Enchiladas Suizas, so named for the Swiss immigrants to Mexico who introduced dairy farming to the country, include sour cream, which adds a richness to the enchiladas and makes them decadent.
Cooking spray
1 (4-ounce) can crushed tomatillos
1 (4-ounce) can whole green chiles
¾ cup chopped poblano peppers
¾ cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped fresh tomatillos
½ teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of ground cloves
½ cup sour cream
Vegetable oil, for softening tortillas
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
1 cup Shredded Smoked Chicken (this page) or shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken
4 ounces Chihuahua cheese, grated
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
½ cup Cilantro Chimichurri (this page) or additional chopped fresh cilantro
1 Place a rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to broil. Spray an 8 x 12-inch baking dish with cook spray.
2 In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the canned tomatillos, green chiles, poblanos, onion, fresh tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, salt, and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables have softened, 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until smooth. (Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a regular blender and purée until smooth, then return it to the pan.) Stir in the sour cream to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep the sauce warm.
3 Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F.
4 Using tongs, dip a few tortillas at a time into the hot oil until softened, 3 or 4 seconds. Stack them on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
5 Place a softened tortilla on a clean work surface, spoon 2 tablespoons of the chicken down the center, and roll up to enclose the chicken. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken. Top the enchiladas with the sauce and sprinkle with the Chihuahua cheese.
6 Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 5 minutes.
7 Top with the queso fresco and chimichurri and serve warm.
THROUGH MUCH OF THE early twentieth century, tamales vendors were very common on the streets of South Texas towns and up through San Antonio. During the midmorning hours and through the afternoon, you’d hear them call, “Hot tamales!” along the street corners. They sold them out of a ten-gallon lard can for about a nickel apiece during the Depression. It was an easy way for an immigrant family to make an income.
When I was growing up, there was a guy in my neighborhood who drove around in a truck selling tamales just like your typical ice cream man. He was our tamales man. My mom would warm them up and smother them in her homemade chili gravy, or canned chili in a pinch. I don’t have a tamale man these days, so I’ve developed a recipe based on the classics I grew up with that, for me, makes the ideal tamale.
60 corn husks (see Tip)
2½ pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 large onion, halved
5 garlic cloves, smashed
5 ancho chiles, stemmed
5 chiles de árbol, stemmed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds masa, such as Maseca (see Tip)
9 ounces lard (see this page)
Chili Gravy (this page) or store-bought salsa
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 Place the corn husks in a large baking dish and cover with warm water, making sure they are fully submerged, and soak overnight.
2 In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the beef, onion, garlic, chiles, cumin,1 tablespoon of the salt, and the pepper and cover with water by 1 inch. Set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 90 minutes.
3 Transfer the meat to a plate and let cool slightly. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the beef into small pieces. Taste and add more salt as needed. Cover and set aside to cool completely.
4 Meanwhile, transfer the onion, garlic, and chiles from the cooking liquid to a blender (reserve the liquid) and purée until smooth.
5 Add 1½ cups of the vegetable purée to the shredded meat and stir to combine. Set aside.
6 In a large bowl, combine the masa, lard, and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Using your hands, mix and knead the masa until the lard is well incorporated and the mixture looks shaggy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to create a dough similar in consistency to creamy mashed potatoes, 5 to 6 cups. Add ¼ cup of the vegetable purée to the masa and knead it into the dough until well incorporated. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel until you’re ready to use it.
7 To assemble, remove a corn husk from the water and pat it dry. Set it smooth-side up on a clean work surface and spoon 2½ tablespoons of the masa into the center. Spread the masa into a thin layer. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the beef down the center of the masa, along the length of the husk. Fold one end of the husk over the filling, followed by the other side, enclosing the beef completely in the masa and the masa in the husk. Fold the bottom of the husk up. Lay the tamale on a baking sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
8 Place a collapsible steamer basket in a large pot and add water just to reach the bottom of the basket. Carefully stand the tamales on their folded ends in the steamer basket, standing them next to one another so they do not fall over. Cover the pot and bring the water just to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and steam the tamales until the masa is firm and easily pulls away from the husk, about 90 minutes. Add water to the pot as needed to keep it from drying out.
9 Serve family-style with chili gravy and the cheddar alongside.
The ratio of masa to filling in a tamal is crucial. It’s important to be generous with the filling, and you want to make sure the masa is fairly wet so the tamal doesn’t dry out while it’s cooking.
Corn husks and masa can be found at specialty Latin markets and online.
TIP
Plan to soak the corn husks overnight before making the tamales. You may make the roast a day in advance. Just be sure to reheat in a saucepan over medium heat before assembling tamales.
There are a vast number of fillings you can use for tamales, three of the most common being poblano peppers, shredded pork, and Oaxaca cheese. While the tamales I grew up on included beef filling with chili gravy, it was more common to find red chile and shredded pork in places like El Paso in West Texas. It wasn’t until a little later in life that I discovered them—we didn’t spend a lot of time in West Texas when I was a kid. While I like the tamales of my childhood, I’ve found the slow burn of these spicy pork tamales to be just as enticing, if not a little more so.
60 corn husks (see Tip, this page)
10 dried ancho chiles, stemmed
6 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed
2 dried morita or chipotle chiles, stemmed
Boiling water
2½ pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large onion, quartered
8 garlic cloves, smashed
3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
11 ounces lard (this page)
¼ cup ground cumin
2 pounds masa, such as Maseca (see Tip, this page)
Mole poblano sauce, store-bought or homemade (this page)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 Place the corn husks in large baking dish and cover with warm water, making sure they are fully submerged, and soak overnight.
2 Place the ancho, árbol, and morita chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
3 Drain the chiles in a strainer set over a bowl; reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the chiles and ½ cup of the reserved liquid to a blender and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Add more of the soaking liquid if needed to create a paste consistency. Pass the chile paste through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, using a spatula to press it through (discard the solids). Set aside.
4 Place the pork, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the salt, and the pepper in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 90 minutes.
5 Transfer the meat to a plate and let cool slightly. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the pork into small pieces and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid (discard the solids) and set aside.
6 Melt 2 ounces of the lard in a large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. When the lard shimmers, add the cumin and ½ cup of the chile paste and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shredded pork and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the mixture, about ¾ cup. Taste and add more salt as needed. Cover and set aside to cool.
7 In a large bowl, combine the masa, the remaining 9 ounces lard, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Using your hands, mix and knead the masa until the lard is well incorporated and the mixture looks shaggy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to create a dough similar in texture to creamy mashed potatoes, 5 to 6 cups. Add ¼ cup of the chile paste to the masa and knead it into dough until well incorporated. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel until you’re ready to use it.
8 To assemble, remove a corn husk from the water and pat it dry. Set it smooth-side up on a clean work surface and spoon 2½ tablespoons of the masa into the center. Spread the masa into a thin layer. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the pork down the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, followed by the other side, enclosing the pork completely in the masa and the masa in the husk. Fold the bottom of the husk up. Lay the tamale on a baking sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
9 Place a collapsible steamer basket in a large pot and add water just to reach the bottom of the basket. Carefully stand the tamales on their folded ends in the steamer basket, standing them next to one another so they do not fall over. Cover the pot and bring the water just to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and steam the tamales until the masa is firm and easily pulls away from the husk, about 90 minutes. Add water to the pot as needed to keep it from drying out.
10 Serve family-style with mole poblano sauce and the cheddar alongside.
TAMALES, TAMALADAS,
AND TAMALERAS
Over thousands of years leading up to Spanish colonization in the seventeenth century, Mesoamerican cultures (Aztec, Maya, Mixtec, and others) all made some form of banana-leaf- or corn-husk-wrapped packet of food similar to the modern-day tamale. Over time, tamales became associated with special occasions due to the time-intensive, community-involved process of making them.
Through the Spanish missions, this special-occasion dish was adopted into the Christian culture of Latin America, eventually becoming a keystone of one of the most important holidays on the Christian calendar, Christmas. The tradition has held strong through today, which is why you’ll commonly find Mexican, Mexican Texan, and Mexican American families and friends gathering in kitchens big and small for annual tamaladas, or tamal-making parties, around the holidays.
At a tamalada, everyone from children to grandparents pitch in to help with the preparation, with each person assigned a task like making the filling, steaming the corn husks, preparing the masa, and so on. Then everyone comes together for a sort of choreographed assembly line, backed by festive music and filled with family banter and laughter (more laughter if tequila is involved), to stuff the tamales.
Such an assembly of tamaleras, tamale cooks, could easily churn out sixty dozen tamales in one day. The bounty is not only for the family to consume, but also to offer as gifts to friends throughout the holiday season. When I was growing up, homemade tamales from friends often made an appearance at holiday parties and almost always at the Christmas meal. Even if we were having the more traditional ham or turkey, tamales always had a place at the table.
TRADITIONALLY, if a Tex-Mex menu offers tostadas, it’s referring to a corn tortilla that has been fried as a flat round rather than in a U-shape. You can usually expect a smear of refried beans on top and sometimes beef picadillo or shredded chicken topped with grated cheese. Some menus include the term chalupas instead of “tostadas.” The truth is, a chalupa (Spanish for “canoe”) is more of a Mexican item, particularly in the south-central part of the country, and it’s made of fried ovals of masa that are shaped into a little canoe—hence the name—and served with a variety of toppings.
Vegetable oil, for frying
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
Kosher salt
3 cups refried beans, store-bought or homemade (this page)
4 cups Shredded Smoked Chicken (this page) or shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken, or Beef Picadillo (this page)
6 cups shredded lettuce
¾ cup chopped tomato
¾ cup crema Mexicana or sour cream
1 cup guacamole, store-bought or homemade (this page)
¾ cup crumbled queso fresco
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
24 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 Fill a 4-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pot with oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat the oil over high heat to 375°F. Line a wire rack with paper towels, place it on a baking sheet, and set it nearby.
2 Gently slide a tortilla into the hot oil and fry it, basting the top or flipping it regularly, until it has stopped bubbling and become crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the tortillas to the prepared rack and immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat to fry the remaining tortillas.
3 Spread ¼ cup of the beans over each tostada, then top with equal parts chicken or picadillo, lettuce, tomato, crema, guacamole, and queso fresco. Garnish each tostada with a pinch of oregano and 2 sprigs of cilantro. Serve immediately.
THE ORIGINAL NACHO was the serendipitous creation of Ignacio Anaya, a restaurant owner in the small Mexican border town of Piedras Negras in 1943. As an off-menu appetizer for guests one evening, Anaya quartered a few tortillas, added a slice of cheddar cheese and a pickled jalapeño pepper to each, and broiled them in the oven. When asked the name of the tasty snack, he used his nickname and titled them “Nachos Especiales.” These days, nachos come in every shape and size, from the “nacho mountain” (tortilla chips covered with melted cheese and piled high with an assortment of other toppings) to the “ballpark nacho” (tortilla chips doused in gloppy, bright orange stadium cheese). Personally, I prefer the old-school approach—and, of course, using good ingredients.
Vegetable oil, for frying
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade ( this page; see Note)
Kosher salt
1 cup refried beans, store-bought or homemade (this page), warmed
1 cup grated Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese
16 to 32 pickled jalapeños, store-bought or homemade (this page)
1 Place a rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2 Fill a Dutch oven or other heavy pot with oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Line a wire rack with paper towels, place it on a baking sheet, and set it nearby.
3 Cut the tortillas in half. Carefully add a few tortilla pieces at a time to the oil and fry them, stirring gently, until they’re golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chips to the prepared rack and lightly season them with salt. Repeat with the remaining tortilla pieces.
4 Transfer the tortilla pieces to the foil-lined baking sheet and arrange them in a single layer. Top each piece with 1 tablespoon of the beans, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and a pinch of salt. Broil just until the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
5 Top each nacho with 1 or 2 pickled jalapeños and serve immediately.
You can use store-bought tortilla chips instead of making your own: Spread 16 to 20 tortilla chips in a single layer over a foil-lined baking sheet and follow the remaining instructions as directed.
Flauta is Spanish for “flute.” In Tex-Mex cuisine, a flauta is a tortilla rolled up around a filling like shredded chicken or beef and deep-fried into a crisp finger food that’s then usually dipped in guacamole, sour cream, or salsa. They’re sometimes called taquitos or tacos dorados, though tacos dorados don’t tend to be as tightly rolled. The rolls are often thin, with just a bit of filling, but you also find them folded more loosely around a larger portion of filling and fried until just golden, which is where the term taco dorado comes from. I prefer “flauta,” but I think it’s to distance it from the word taquito, which is often used by fast-food joints.
To really be traditional, flautas should be made with corn tortillas. There are some recipes out there that use flour tortillas, but if you ask me, that’s not the real deal. Corn tortillas are the only way to go.
Vegetable oil, for softening the tortillas and frying
16 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page)
2 cups Braised Beef Barbacoa (this page)
1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese
Kosher salt
1 cup Avocado Crema (this page) or store-bought avocado-tomatillo salsa
1 Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot with oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F.
2 Using tongs, dip a few tortillas at a time into the hot oil until softened, 3 or 4 seconds. Stack them on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Turn off the heat and add enough oil to the pot to raise the depth to 1½ inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375ºF. Line a wire rack with paper towels, place it on a baking sheet, and set it nearby.
3 Put a tortilla on a clean work surface. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the barbacoa down the center of the tortilla, leaving about ½ inch clear around the edges. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cheese over the beef. Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling, then roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling and secure it with a small skewer or toothpick. Repeat to fill the remaining tortillas.
4 Carefully add the flautas, 3 or 4 at a time, to the hot oil and fry, basting them with the oil and occasionally flipping them, until golden brown and crispy, 2½ to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the prepared rack and sprinkle with salt. Repeat to fry the remaining flautas. Let cool slightly, then remove the toothpicks.
5 Serve family-style with avocado crema alongside for dipping.
TIP
To make chicken flautas, use 2 cups smoked shredded chicken (this page) or shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken rather than braised beef barbacoa.
THIS DISH was one of the items that just never made the cut when I was ordering Tex-Mex as a kid. The dish always looked so unappetizing to me, but as an adult, I’ve totally done a one-eighty on the chile relleno. I love the simplicity of it. You have to use a good cheese like queso Oaxaca to get the right texture, especially when it seizes up as it cools. I love the stringy chew that it has. I like to pan-fry it rather than deep-fry it, which gives it a homier spin. Adding a simple chile-and-tomato purée over the top is one of my favorite ways to serve a chile relleno, though you’ll also find it served with green sauces or in a walnut cream sauce, which is more authentically Mexican.
For the tomato sauce
1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 small tomatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
½ jalapeño pepper, stemmed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the chiles
8 small poblano peppers
6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
6 ounces Oaxaca cheese, shredded
6 ounces Chihuahua cheese, shredded
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 large eggs, separated
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
To serve
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 MAKE THE SAUCE In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the canned and fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño, salt, sugar, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce until smooth. (Alternatively, carefully transfer the sauce to a regular blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth, then return the sauce to the pot.) If the sauce is too thick, add a little water. Taste and add salt if needed. Keep warm.
2 PREPARE THE CHILES Heat a grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat.
3 Grill the whole poblanos until blackened and blistered on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Alternatively, char the chiles poblanos directly on a gas stovetop burner set to medium-high heat, turning them with tongs until blackened and blistered on all sides.) Place the poblanos in a large bowl, cover, and let steam for 15 minutes. Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel them and cut a 1-inch slit in the side of each pepper.
4 Combine the cheeses in a medium bowl. Stuff each pepper evenly with the cheese mixture. Set aside.
5 Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven.
6 Fill a Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet with oil to a depth of 1½ inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 365°F.
7 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Add ¼ cup of the flour, the salt, and the black pepper and beat for 10 seconds.
8 Transfer the batter to a shallow bowl or dish. Put the remaining 1 cup flour in a separate shallow dish. Dredge the stuffed chiles in the flour, then dip them in the batter to coat, allowing any excess to drip off.
9 Place the chiles in the hot oil, two or three at a time, and cook until they’re golden on all sides, about 1½ minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chiles to the prepared rack and keep them warm in oven. Repeat to cook the remaining chiles, bringing the oil back to 365°F after each.
10 Place two chiles on each serving plate, top with the sauce, and garnish with the queso fresco, cilantro, and oregano. Serve immediately.
JUST AS THE ITALIANS and swedes have a meatball-making tradition, so, too, do the spanish and, by extension, the mexicans. Albóndigas have long been made as a tapas and are typically served with a spicy dipping sauce, but they’re also often incorporated into soup, caldo albóndigas. I love making just the meatballs, stuffing them with a little nugget of Oaxaca cheese, and cooking them in a rich chile-tomato sauce—the cheese oozes out when you cut into the meatballs. It’s a great dish for feeding a lot of people, and they never fail to impress.
For the chile sauce
2 tablespoons lard (see this page)
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, some seeds removed
1½ teaspoons chili powder (I like Gebhardt)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
For the meatballs
2 tablespoons lard, plus melted lard as needed for browning
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove
3 (6-inch) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page), chopped into small pieces
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Requesón or ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
½ pound ground sirloin
½ pound ground pork
½ cup cubed Oaxaca cheese (about 8 cubes)
To serve
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup sliced radishes
2 serrano peppers, sliced
8 to 12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas, store-bought or homemade (this page or this page)
1 MAKE THE SAUCE Melt the lard in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, anchos, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chiles have softened, 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Add ¼ cup water and purée to combine. Taste and add salt as needed. Set aside.
2 MAKE THE MEATBALLS Melt the lard in a medium nonstick sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tortillas and cook, stirring frequently, until the tortillas have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and add the cream, Requesón, egg, salt, and oregano. Process until the mixture is smooth and looks like a batter.
3 Put the ground sirloin and the pork in a large bowl and use your hands to combine them well. Add the batter to the meat mixture and use your hands to combine well. Portion the meat mixture into 2-ounce balls, about 8 meatballs.
4 Cut the Oaxaca cheese into as many cubes as there are meatballs. Press a cheese cube into the center of each ball and re-form the meat mixture into a ball, making sure to completely enclose the cheese. Set the meatballs on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5 Preheat the oven to 300°F.
6 Fill a large Dutch oven with melted lard to a depth of ¼ inch. Heat the lard over medium-high heat. When the lard is shimmering, add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the meatballs to a roasting pan. Roast until dark golden brown, 25 minutes.
7 Drain any fat that has accumulated in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and return them to the oven. Roast until the meatballs are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
8 Serve immediately with cilantro, radishes, serranos, and tortillas alongside.
