There’s something primitive, visceral, wild about a taco. It is, in fact, the product of a slow-cooked recipe, with ingredients lending aroma to the meat, salsas that inject soul, fresh components alleviating an excess of heat.
In a taco, both simple and complex, lies the soul of Mexico. Such is one’s understanding after reading the latest book by chef Enrique Olvera with writer and food critic Alonso Ruvalcaba, Sunny Days, Taco Nights.
Cover of ‘Días de Sol, Noches Taqueras’, by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, with the collaboration of critic Alonso Ruvalcaba.
“The history of the taco is quite confusing,” says Olvera. “We don’t know where the name comes from, nor the first taco that was invented. But to me, there’s a resemblance between the nigiri and the taco: they are two recipes of humble origin that were prepared on the street as fast food and that which, with time, have grown more sophisticated and established themselves. They have even adapted to the cuisine and ingredients of other worlds, like Korea, for example.”
The chef, who has 14 restaurants in Mexico and the United States, was the first to serve a taco at a two-star Michelin establishment (Mexico City’s Pujol). “What we did was insert part of our creative process. We began to work with corn in its maximum expression to make the tortillas and on top of them, serve one of our dishes. That way, it seemed to us that we were endowing the taco with the prestige that it deserved. We were dismantling the myth that taco is synonymous with cheap and poorly made.”
His book brings together recipes for 50 traditional tacos, and 50 contemporary versions. “It is a reflection of what we are and what we eat. It is important to remember that the taco unifies, democratizes the country. The millionaire eats it and the working class eats it. There is no distinction,” says the chef. From such a wealth of recipes, Olvera selected five of his favorite tacos for EL PAÍS.
Stewed tacos
“This is my favorite, my mom’s taco, the one I used to eat at my parents’ house,” admits the chef.
Stewed tacos. This taco uses a specific stew — pork in pasilla chile sauce — although any stew can go into a taco. Use the mold of this taco for whatever is left over from yesterday: shredded chicken in green mole, chayote in pipián, steak in a morita chile sauce or “a la mexicana” (serrano chile, onion, and tomato).Araceli Paz / PHAIDONIngredientes4 tacosFor the ribs:2 lb 4 oz/500 g pork rib with bone, cut into cubes ½ tablespoon saltscant 1 cup (7 fl oz/210 ml) water For the rice and sauce½ cup (3½ oz/100 g) rice4 tablespoons olive oil1 large tomato1 cloves garlic¼ white onions½ teaspoon salt3½ lb oz/100 g Green Tomato-Pasilla SalsaTo serve: Instrucciones1. To start
Place the rice in a bowl, then cover it with water. Using your hand, slowly move the grains around, taking care not to break them. Drain and repeat the process until the water runs clear.
2. For the ribs:
Set the pressure cooker to high and add the ribs, salt, and water until the ingredients are covered. Let it pressure cook for 20 minutes.
3. For the sauce:
In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium–high heat. When the oil is hot, add the washed rice and, using a wooden spoon to stir constantly, sauté until the rice has browned. In a blender, combine the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and salt. Add the remaining water and blend. Pour the mixture into the saucepan. Cook until one-quarter of the liquid remains, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 10 minutes. Place a saucepan over high heat, grease it with 2 tablespoons of oil, then add the Green Tomato-Pasilla Salsa and meat along with all the cooking liquid. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, to meld the flavors.
4. To serve:
Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2–3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate and top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of red rice, and 1 tablespoon of stew
Cochinada tacos
“It’s a taco for the pros,” says Olvera.
Cochinada tacos. This taco, the cousin of the campechano taco, is known for its topping taquería, the cochinada — also known as cochi (which literally means “filth”) — is collected from the bottom of the chorizo grill after many hours of cooking chorizos. Araceli Paz / PHAIDONIngredientesMakes 42 tablespoons olive oil7 oz/200 g beef cecina, finely chopped7 oz/200 g Green Chorizo, finely chopped4 Corn Tortillas½ white onion, finely choppedChopped cilantro (coriander) leaves¼ teaspoon saltLime wedgesYour choice of salsasInstrucciones1. For the filling
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the cecina and chorizo, and sauté for 10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden. Transfer threequarters of the mixture to a plate, then cook the remainder of the mixture until it is dark brown, about 5–6 minutes.
2. To serve:
Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2–3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate and top each tortilla with the browned meat mixture, put a spoonful of the “cochinada” on top, and serve with the onion, cilantro (coriander), lime wedges, and any of our salsas on the side.
Sudadero tacos
“This is a street taco. And we brought it into our restaurants in Los Angeles and New York.”
Sudadero tacos. These are perhaps the most popular tacos in Mexico City, made with cuts from the beef belly. Their preparation — slow cooked, simmering the meat in water and its own fat — makes the meat golden yet juicy and tender. Araceli Paz / PHAIDONIngredientesMakes 8For the suadero:½ cup (3½ oz/100 g) salt1 lb 5 oz/600 g brisket2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for greasing1 white onion, diced4 cloves garlic, finely chopped4 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined5 dried bay leaves10 allspice berriesFor the radishes:2 radishes, sliced½ red onion, thinly slicedLemon juiceSaltTo serve: 8 Corn Tortillas10½ oz/300 g SuaderoCilantro (coriander) leaves4 lime wedgesYour choice of saucesInstrucciones1. For the suadero:
In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in 12¾ cups (3 quarts/3 liters) of water.
Add the meat, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove the meat from the brine and pat with paper towels to remove any excess water.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (casserole) over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is golden brown and caramelized.
Add the meat and sear on all sides, 5–10 minutes per side. Add the chiles, bay leaves, and allspice. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Cook the meat in the oven, covered, for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pot, covered, for 45 minutes.
Cut the meat into large cubes.
Quesillo-stuffed cuaresmeño chiles
“It’s a restaurant-style taco — at some point, it was served at Pujol and it reflects that kind of plated taco. It’s much more refined, more elegant.”
Quesillo-stuffed cuaresmeño chiles. The cuaresmeño is a docile chile in terms of heat — there are some brave ones, but in general they are mild chiles. It is a variant of jalapeño; the fruit is cut once it has ripened on the bush. This taco makes for a tasty snack, and the combination of chiles and cheese is well known, but the quesillo cheese adds a special touch.Araceli Paz / PHAIDONIngredientesMakes 84 cuaresmeño chiles 10½ oz/300 g quesillo cheese (Oaxaca cheese), shredded Salsa Martajada8 Corn TortillasInstrucciones1. For the tacos
Preheat a grill (barbecue) over high heat.
Place the chiles on the grill and roast over a high flame for 5 minutes or until charred, using tongs to rotate them so that they char evenly.
Transfer them to a plastic bag, then wrap the bag with a dish towel.
Let the chiles rest for 5–10 minutes. The steam in the bag will finish cooking the chiles and loosening the skins.
Remove from the bag and peel off the charred skin. (Do not rinse the chiles with running water or they will lose their flavor.)
Make a lengthwise cut from the top of each chile and remove the seeds and veins. Do not remove the stems, as it keeps the chiles intact.
Stuff the chiles with the cheese. Place them on a baking sheet. Bake them as they are, or first pour some of the sauce over the top.
Cook for 10 minutes or until the filling is very hot and the sauce (if using) is bubbling.
Warm the (remaining) sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes.
Add the tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2–3 minutes or until
warmed through.
Place the stuffed chiles in a deep plate and pour the warmed sauce over them. Serve with the tortillas on the side.
Octopus-stuffed chile tacos
“This taco is also a dish assembled on top of a tortilla. Bringing full dishes into the world of tacos is a very beautiful possibility in creative terms.”
Octopus-stuffed chile tacos. Other chiles can be substituted for the güeros (cuaresmeños or dried chiles, for example), just take care that they are not too spicy. As well, the protein — as with most tacos — can vary: use whatever protein you want. Araceli Paz / PHAIDONIngredientesMakes 4For the octopus with chintextle:2 tablespoons chintextle 2 tablespoons red miso 1¼ cups (10 fl oz/300 ml) olive oil1 lb 2 oz/500 g whole cooked octopusFor the fried chickpeas:1 lb 2 oz/500 g cooked white beans 2 cloves garlic Juice of 2 lemons Juice of 2 lemons Scant ½ cup (3½ fl oz/100 ml) olive oil SaltTo serve: 4 güero chiles, roasted and deveined 4 Corn Tortillas 4 tablespoons Bean Hummus¼ white onion, sliced Cilantro (coriander) leaves4 lime wedgesInstrucciones1. For the octopus with chintextle:
Preheat a grill (griddle) over high heat for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, mix together the chintextle and miso. Stir in the olive oil. Add the octopus and gently toss to coat with the marinade. Place the octopus on the grill and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and cut into small cubes.
2. For the fried chickpeas:
Preheat the oven to 250°F/120°C/ Gas Mark ½.
Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dehydrate in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are completely dry.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep saucepan until it reaches 275°F/140°C.
Carefully lower the chickpeas into the hot oil and deep-fry — this doesn’t take long, only seconds, so do not let them burn.
3. For the bean hummus:
Put the beans, garlic, and lemon juice in a blender and blend into a very smooth paste for about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
4. To serve:
Stuff the chiles with the chopped octopus and set aside.
Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2–3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate and top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of bean hummus, a stuffed chile, 4 fried chickpeas, sliced onion, and cilantro (coriander) leaves. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
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