Best Marinated Pork Tortas With Cilantro Aioli Chiles Curtidos Recipes

PORK & CHEDDAR TORTA

Steps:

• Pan-fry pork chops until nicely browned.
• Simmer them, covered, with 1/2 cup water or broth until chops are done and tender, about 10 minutes more.
• While hot, slice pork thinly and place in a plastic zipper bag with the sliced chiles and lime juice.
• Refrigerate until cooled.
• To assemble torta: scoop out a little bread from inside of rolls so they're hollowed slightly.
• Spread the bottom half with refried beans; spread the top with mayo, crema or sour cream.
• Stack sandwich with the lime-marinated pork and chiles, plus tomato slices, lettuce, onions, cilantro, and cheddar cheese.
• Sprinkle liberally with black pepper.

TORTAS AHOGADAS AL GUERO

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.

AUTHENTIC BOLILLOS (MEXICAN BREAD ROLLS FOR TORTAS)

Steps:

• Combine the water, salt, sugar, yeast and 2 cups of the flour to your Kitchenaid mixing bowl.
• Set mixer speed to 4 and mix well. Add in the flour about a half a cup at a time, mix for a minute or so and add more flour until the dough comes together and doesn't stick to the bowl.
• The dough should form a ball on the dough hook. It may become sticky after a few minutes of kneading so keep the flour handy to add more if necessary.
• Knead for 8-10 minutes. The final dough should be firm and elastic and a little sticky to the touch.
• Form the dough into a ball and place the dough in a greased bowl.
• Cover the dough with a towel or cloth and leave in a warm place for about an hour.
• Remove dough from bowl onto a smooth counter that has a little flour on top to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.
• Divide dough into 10 equal balls. For oval shaped rolls, roll the balls between your palms for about 5 seconds to make a cylindrical shape, tapering slightly at the ends.
• Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush each dough ball with egg whites.
• Using a bread knife, make a cut down the length of the roll about 1/4 inch deep. Bake for about 30 minutes, let cool and enjoy.
• They may also be wrapped well and frozen for later use.

ACHIOTE PORK TORTA - (SANDWICHES)

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, juices, salt, and cumin. Pulse until well combined. Crumble in the achiote and pulse to combine into a very soft paste; add more vinegar by the tablespoon to loosen it up if necessary. Blend in the cilantro.
• Cut the meat into lenghtwise slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Lay the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of 1/4 inch. Coat the slices generously with the paste and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and no more than 12 hours.
• Half an hour before cooking, clrean the grill thoroughly with a brush and wipe it down with an oil-dampened rag. Preheat the grill on high.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and shake off as much of the paste as possible. Place the meat on the grill, close the lid, and grill for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, checking often to make sure the meat doesn't burn or cook too quickly; if it does, move it to a cooler part of the grill. The meat is done perfectly when it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Do not overcook or the meat will dry out. (I used my George Foreman grill and just made sure to wipe it with a paper towel between batches) Set the meat aside, loosely covered with foil.
• To serve, split the rolls and toast on the grill, then layer from the bottom up: cheese, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, onion, jalapenos, and salsa. Skewer with a couple of toothpicks and cut in half.

CURTIDO

Steps:

• Place the cabbage in boiling water for no more than one minute. Discard the water.
• Put the cabbage in a large bowl and add grated carrots, sliced onion, cayenne, oregano, olive oil, salt, brown sugar, vinegar, and water.
• Let chill in refrigerator at least two hours before serving.