Esmeriles Aguascalentenses

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Cast iron comal or heavy steel comal
• •Tortilla press lined with a cut plastic bag
• •Clay cazuela or heavy skillet for the chicharrón rojo
• •High-powered blender
• •Damp cotton towel for covering masa

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast and roast

   Heat a dry comal over medium. Toast the chile guajillo, chile ancho, and chile de árbol separately, about 20 to 30 seconds per side, just until the skins puff and smell deep. Do not blacken them. On the same comal, roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until the tomatoes blister, the onion chars at the edges, and the garlic softens inside its skin. The chile gives color. The roasted vegetables give body. You need both.

2. 2

   Blend the sauce

   Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes. Hot, not boiling. Drain them. Peel the roasted garlic and blend it with the softened chiles, tomatoes, onion, Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup pork broth or water until completely smooth. Strain if your blender leaves skins behind. A filling for esmeriles has to be clean enough to tuck into masa without tearing it.

3. 3

   Cook the chicharrón rojo

   Melt 2 tablespoons manteca de cerdo in a clay cazuela or heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour in the red chile sauce. It will sputter, let it. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the color darkens and the fat begins to shine at the edges. Add the chopped chicharrón prensado and cook 10 to 12 minutes more, stirring often, until the filling is thick, brick red, and spoonable but not wet. If it looks dry before the chicharrón softens, add a splash of broth. Taste before adding more salt because chicharrón brings its own. Let it cool to room temperature before filling the masa.

   Do not use airy bagged pork rinds and call it the same thing. Chicharrón prensado has density, fat, and chew. If you cannot find it, use thick carnicería chicharrón de pella, finely chopped. That is a compromise, not an upgrade.
4. 4

   Season the masa

   Put the fresh nixtamal masa in a wide bowl. Knead in 3 tablespoons softened manteca de cerdo and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time until the masa feels soft and pliable, like the lobe of your ear. If the edges crack when you press a small test disk, it needs more water. If it sticks to your hands, knead it longer before you blame the masa. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Shape the pockets

   Divide the masa into 24 balls, each about the size of a large walnut. Line a tortilla press with a cut plastic bag and press one ball into a 3-inch disk, thicker than a tortilla. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cooled chicharrón rojo into the center. Fold the masa over, pinch the seam closed, then pat it gently into a small round pocket with the seam hidden underneath. This is the work the señoras at the feria do without looking. You will look. That's fine.

6. 6

   Cook on the comal

   Heat the comal over medium. Brush it lightly with manteca de cerdo. Cook the esmeriles in batches, seam side down first, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the masa sets, pale gold spots appear, and the edges feel firm. Turn each one onto its narrow edge for 20 to 30 seconds to seal the sides. If a little red filling escapes, leave it. That crisp chile-stained edge is part of the pleasure.

7. 7

   Serve from clay

   Pile the esmeriles on a barro platter while they are still warm. Set salsa roja de chile de árbol, raw white onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and lime halves beside them. Do not bury them under crema or lettuce. These are Aguascalientes feria bites, not a generic plate from nowhere. Cada estado, su propia cocina.

Chef Tips

• •Buy fresh nixtamal masa from a tortillería if you can. If you must use masa harina, mix 3 1/2 cups masa harina with 2 3/4 cups warm water, rest it 20 minutes, then knead in the lard and salt. It works. It is not the same as fresh masa.
• •The filling must cool before you shape the esmeriles. Hot chicharrón softens the masa and makes the seams open on the comal. Patience is cheaper than wasted masa.
• •Use manteca de cerdo. Vegetable oil will brown the masa, yes, but it will not give the same aroma or tender edge. La manteca es el sabor.
• •The chiles should be flexible and leathery, not brittle like old paper. At the market, bend a guajillo before buying it. If it cracks into dust, that vendor is selling you yesterday's memory.

Advance Preparation

• •The chicharrón rojo can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm it gently and let it cool again before filling so the fat softens but the mixture is not hot.
• •The masa can be kneaded 2 hours ahead and held covered with a damp towel at room temperature. Do not refrigerate fresh masa unless you like cracked edges.
• •Cooked esmeriles reheat well on a dry comal over medium-low heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not microwave them unless you want the masa to turn tough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 360g)