Panuchos

We had an amazing trip traveling around the Yucatan peninsula in 2009 right after graduating law school and I remember eating panuchos and salputes in Vallodolid.  The are sort of like a tostada except softer and with beans fried in a sort of tortilla shell.  It is all my favorite flavors or Mexico.

Panuchos

2 cups masa haraina
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
Mexican refried black beans (still searching for just the right recipe although this one is the next one I want to try - the one I used this time around was just so-so)
Oil for frying
Thinly sliced tomatoes
Thinly sliced avocados
Shredded lettuce
Cooked and shredded chicken (can just use a rotisserie chicken or Taco Chicken or Spicy Honey Chicken)
Cotija or queso fresco
Cilantro
Escabeche

Combine masa and salt in a bowl, adding a bit of water at a time and working it in with your hands until the masa is pliable but not sticky (about like the texture of playdough). Divide into 15 equal balls, set on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.

Heat a heavy griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot. Working with 1 masa ball at a time, place a heavy piece of plastic (a freezer bag cut in half works well) on the counter, then center masa ball on top and cover with another piece of plastic or parchment paper. Using a large plate, press down on masa ball to form a tortilla 4 to 5 inches wide.

Peel plastic from tortilla and put tortilla on hot griddle. When underside no longer sticks and is lightly speckled, about 1 minute, flip and cook 1 minute on other side. Flip again and with a folded clean kitchen towel, firmly press tortilla all over (this helps it puff). Cook until it puffs and the underside is light golden, 15 to 30 more seconds. Transfer tortilla to a work surface.

Slit hot tortilla carefully 1/2 inches from edge to make an opening about 2 inches long. Without tearing tortilla, slide a small metal spatula or just your finger inside to create a pocket. Let cool. Repeat for each tortilla.

Open up the pocket of a cooled tortilla with your finger, squeeze gently to hold it open, and smear a rounded spoonful of beans inside. Pat top of tortilla with your fingers to spread beans. Fill each panucho the same way.

Preheat oven to 250° and set a rimmed baking sheet inside. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. oil and a single layer of panuchos. Cook until golden, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes total. Transfer panuchos to pan in oven. Repeat to cook remaining panuchos, adding more oil as needed.

Assemble panuchos by setting them on a platter and topping with lettuce, chicken, onion, sour cream, tomato, avocado and cheese.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa

 

There is something about shrimp tacos that is just so right and good about the world.  When I am eating this, it is not hard at all to imagine myself on a beach in Mexico and feeling completely transported. The flavors of the filling and salsa are so fresh and bright and pair perfectly with a lightly toasted corn tortilla from the grill.  And it would certainly change up a "taco Tuesday" rut with a seafood approach.  I see us eating this all summer long.

 

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa

Salsa

4 ears white or yellow corn, shucked (or about 1 cup frozen corn)

4 medium scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into small dice (or just one can of diced tomatoes, drained)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes), plus more as needed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 serrano chile, stemmed and finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 medium avocados

 

Tacos

 

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons chipotle powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 45 shrimp)

10 (12-inch) skewers (soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to avoid burning on the grill)

16 grilled or warmed corn tortillas

 

Remove the corn kernels from the cobs: Place a large container on a damp towel. Fold a paper towel into fourths and place it inside the container. Stand 1 ear of corn on the paper towel, using the stem as a handle. Using a paring knife, slice downward, letting the kernels fall into the container. Rotate the cob and continue until all the kernels have been removed; discard the cob. Repeat with the remaining corn. Discard the paper towel.  Or just skip this whole process and just use about 1 cup of frozen corn.

 

Add the scallions, tomatoes, measured lime juice, cilantro, serrano, and measured salt and stir to combine.  Halve and pit the avocados. Using a paring knife, score the flesh of the avocado halves in a 1/4-inch-wide crosshatch pattern (be careful not to cut through the skin).  Using a spoon, scoop the avocado pieces into the corn mixture and gently fold to combine.  Taste and add more lime juice or salt as needed; set aside.

 

Heat an outdoor grill to high (about 450°F to 550°F). Meanwhile, assemble the shrimp.  Whisk the lime juice, oil, chipotle powder, salt, and cumin together in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to combine.  Skewer each shrimp through the tail and head ends, leaving about 1/4 inch of space between each shrimp. Transfer the skewers to a baking sheet.

 

Place the skewers in a single layer on the grill without touching. Close the grill and cook until grill marks appear on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the skewers, close the grill, and cook until the shrimp are just firm, about 1 minute more. Transfer the skewers to a clean baking sheet.

 

Remove and discard the skewers, transfer the shrimp to a cutting board, and coarsely chop. Place in a serving bowl.  Serve the shrimp with the tortillas and salsa as well as sour cream and guacamole, if you want (which I do).

Baked Pinto Bean and Swiss Chard Burritos

I like to try to do meatless meals at least one night a week at our house and these burritos are perfect when it comes to having a vegetarian option that in no way tastes or feels vegetarian.  If you didn't mention to somebody that you were doing a vegetarian dinner, they would have no clue and wouldn't miss the meat at all in these burritos.  One thing I really love about this recipe is the use of swiss chard, which I had never cooked before but had always wanted to try because it is almost always available at the farmer's market and it is so colorful and bright.  The recipe is from a new cookbook I bought called "The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen, so I knew going into this recipe that it would probably turn out amazing and I can't wait to try out more meatless meals to add options to our vegetarian nights.
 

Baked Pinto Bean and Swiss Chard Burritos

2¼ cups vegetable broth, divided
¾ cup brown rice, rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lb. Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into 1-inch wide strips
1½ cups cooked pinto beans (1 15 oz. can), rinsed, divided
1 tablespoon lime juice
6-7 10-inch flour tortillas
10 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded (about 2½ cups), divided

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1¼ cups of the broth, the rice, half of the garlic, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and the broth has been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the cilantro and fluff with a fork to incorporate. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, chipotle, cumin, oregano, remaining garlic, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chard and ½ cup of the broth, cover and simmer until the chard is tender, about 15 minutes.

Using a potato masher or a fork, coarsely mash half of the beans with the remaining ½ cup of broth in a bowl, then stir into the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and remaining whole beans. Cover to keep warm.

Adjust an oven rack to 6 inches underneath the broiler element and heat the broiler. Wrap tortillas in a damp dish towel and microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Lay warm tortillas on a work surface. Mound warm rice, chard-bean mixture and 1½ cups of the cheese in the center of the tortillas, close to the bottom edge. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling, then fold up the bottom of the tortilla, pulling back on it firmly to tightly wrap around the filling and into a burrito.

Place the burritos seam side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Broil until the cheese is melted and starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole.