Ham and Cheese Tortas with Chiptole Mayonnaise

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Tortas are sandwiches and they are made with Mexican bolillo rolls. Similar to crusty French rolls, they are the most popular bread in Mexico after tortillas. Surprisingly, ham and cheese is a common torta combination although almost anything can be used as a filling, including beans. I’ve taken some liberties with the mayonnaise by adding chipotles, but it tastes so good with any number of fillings, I had to include it.

Ingredients

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise:

  • 2 chipotle en adobo chiles, stems and seeds removed

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons chopped onion

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

For the Tortas:

  • 4 slices yellow cheese, such as cheddar

  • 4 slices cooked ham

  • 1 4-ounce can sliced pickled jalapenos

  • 4 bolillo rolls, or substitute French rolls

  • Sliced tomatoes

  • Thinly sliced onions

  • Shredded lettuce

Instructions

To make the mayonnaise: Place the chipotles, lime juice and onion in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Put the mayonnaise into a bowl and stir in the chile mixture. Allow the mayonnaise to sit for an hour or more to blend the flavors.

To assemble, split the rolls lengthwise and hollow out some of the bottom of the roll. Spread the mayonnaise on the top and layer the remaining ingredients on the bottom, cover with the top and serve.

Poblano Shrimp Quesdillas

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This is Mexico’s answer to the grilled cheese sandwich! They are most delicious made with the rich, stringy cheese from Chihuahua made by the Mennonites, but lacking that, any good melting cheese such as mozzarella, string or even Monterey Jack are good substitutes. Quesadillas can be made with either corn or flour tortillas and the tortillas can be folded in half over the filling, or stacked with the filling in between. Cheese isn’t the only food you can use, I use what is on hand in my refrigerator. Just remember you are only toasting the quesadilla until the cheese melts so any filling needs to be cooked before using.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

  • ½ small onion, sliced

  • 1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, stem and seeds removed, and cut in strips

  • 2 teaspoons dried epazote, or substitute dried oregano, Mexican preferred

  • 8 corn tortillas

  • ½ pound cooked small shrimp

  • 1 to 1 ½-cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet until hot. Add the onions and saute until they are softened. Sprinkle the epazote or oregano over the top. Transfer the onions to a bowl and toss with the chile strips. Using a paper towel, wipe any excess oil out of the skillet.

Return the skillet to the heat, and warm the tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, on one side over medium heat. Turn the tortillas and place some of chile mixture on one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle a little epazote over the mixture. Top with the shrimp and sprinkle some of the cheese over the top.

Continue to heat the tortillas until cheese begins to melt. Fold them over and continue on one side and then the other until the cheese has melted and the tortilla starts to crisp. They should be slightly crisp but still chewy.

 

Breakfast Pizza

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Pizza for breakfast-why not? After all, Italians love cold pizza with hot cappuccino for breakfast. But rather than cold pepperoni, I&rquo;m proposing a hearty and hot breakfast pie. Use frozen prepared dough and hash browns for easy, quick assembly.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound thawed frozen pizza or bread dough

  • 1 cup thawed frozen hash brown potatoes

  • ½ pound cooked spicy sausage, drained (optional)

  • 6 eggs

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 1 cup chopped green New Mexico chile

  • 6 green onions, chopped

  • 1/4 cup chopped black olives

  • 1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano

  • Salt

  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Press dough into a 10-inch round pizza pan making sure it covers the bottom and pinch up the sides to form a rim. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cover the bottom of the dough with the hash brown potatoes and sausage. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top.

Beat the eggs, milk, onions, olives, oregano, and chile together in a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the hash brown mixture. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake the pizza for 35 to 40 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting.

 

Southwest Breakfast Burritos

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This is an all-purpose filling that is used here in a to make a breakfast meal wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, but it is also great as a filling in taco shells. In fact, the eggs taste great all by themselves. Whichever way you eat them, they make great breakfast sandwiches.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces chorizo sausage, casing removed

  • ½ cup chopped onion

  • 1 clove garlic, chopped

  • 6 eggs, beaten

  • 1 tablespoon crushed dried red chile

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 tomato, cored and diced

  • 1 cup grated cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack

  • 1 small tomatoes, cored and diced

  • 1 small avocado, peeled and diced

  • 4 flour tortillas

  • Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat stirring occasionally to break up and clumps. Remove the chorizo and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all but a couple of teaspoons of the accumulated oil. Return the pan to the stove.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, chile, and cumin, and mix in the pan. Scramble the eggs until firm and done. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese, tomato and avocado.

Divide the eggs evenly between the 4 tortillas and garnish with the cilantro. Roll the tortillas, burrito-style and serve.

Huevos Rancheros with Black Bean Salsa

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Probably the most famous of all the chile breakfasts is huevos rancheros, or ranch eggs. This was the meal traditionally served to Mexican ranch hands after a hard early morning’s work. The basic recipe calls for salsa, tortillas, and eggs, but there are an endless number of variations of the recipe. For instance the eggs can be fried and placed on the sauce or poached right in the sauce, and the salsa can be made with red or green chile, which can be homemade or prepared.

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 medium tomato, diced

  • ½ cup diced red onion

  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper

  • 6 serrano chiles, stems removed, diced

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Eggs:

  • 4 eggs

  • 4 corn tortillas

  • Vegetable oil for frying

  • 1 small avocado, peeled and diced

  • Garnish: Grated Monterey Jack cheese and chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and let the mixture sit for at least an hour. Or if you prefer, prepare the night before and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Before serving, pour the sauce in a pot and simmer to heat.

Pour the oil in a small skillet to a depth of an inch and heat until hot. Fry each tortilla in the oil for a few seconds on each side to soften, remove and drain. Pour off all but a couple of teaspoons of oil.

Add the eggs to the pan and fry to desired doneness.

To Assemble: Place a tortilla on individual plates. Stir the diced avocado into the sauce and ladle some of the sauce on each tortilla and top with an egg. Garnish the eggs with the cheese, sprinkle the cilantro over the top, and serve.