Gringas Traditional Food

GRINGAS TACOS

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients on high until smooth.
• Add the water to the blender. Wipe the chili peppers to remove any dust. Pull off the stem and shake out the seeds. Place the whole pepper in the blender along with the apricot jam, lime juice, sugar, and salt.
• Blend on high speed until extremely smooth.
• Using a spoon, scoop the flesh of the avocados into a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, water, and salt.
• Process, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. (If the mixture refuses to blend, add additional water in 1-tablespoon increments, as necessary.)
• If you would like a thinner, more drizzly sauce, add water in 1-tablespoon increments until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste, and add more salt if it's not quite flavorful enough.
• Transfer the avocado sauce to a small serving bowl.
• Mix shaved pork shoulder and pastor marinade. Allow to sit at least an hour (ideally overnight).
• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan over medium high heat.
• Add in 1/4 cup canola oil and sear the pastor meat.
• As the meat sears, heat two additional large cast iron pans.
• Gently roll the outer edges of the tortillas in the bowl of canola oil, and begin to warm them in one cast iron pan.
• Once the tortillas are cooked, transfer them to a plate and keep covered with a warm, damp paper towel.
• In the other pan, sear half the onions and top with the cooked pastor meat.
• As the onions brown, add in the chihuahua cheese and allow to melt.
• Scoop the filling inside the tortillas (use one tortilla per taco).
• Top with Chamoy sauce, Guacamole, onions, cilantro, and pineapple.

GRINGAS (TRADITIONAL RECIPE)

Steps:

• To marinate the meat: In a blender, combine the achiote paste, chiles, canning sauce, oil and 3/4 cup water. Blend until smooth. Use 1/3 of the marinade to smear over both sides of each piece of meat (refrigerate the rest of the marinade to use on other meat or fish). Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To cook the meat, you can grill it an high heat or use a grilling pan on the stove. Over high heat, sear the meat for about one minute per side (until you can see brown grill marks) and set aside. Cut into 1/4- to ½ inch pieces or slices and reserve.
• On the same grill, sear the pineapple slices until you see the grill marks. Set aside.
• To build the "gringas": Put some sliced meat on a flour tortilla and pour a handful of shredded cheese over it. Cover with another flour tortilla and warm them on the grill or a pan, over medium heat, for about a minute per side or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown. Set aside.
• To serve, cut each piece into half or quarters. Garnish with a few slices of pineapple, chopped cilantro and sour cream. You can always add green or red salsa, and avocado.