Los famosos Tacos al PastorFoto de Carlos Bravo
Por fin, ha llegado el Cinco de Mayo y celebraremos el arte culinario de la cocina Mexicana con el tradicional y famoso platillo de tacos... Al Pastor.
Cinco de Mayo is finally here and we'll enjoy this Mexican culinary celebration with the most traditional taco dish... Al Pastor!
"Mi amigo John no podia esperar un poquito mas, me llamaba a cada hora pidiendo una receta de Tacos, obviamente porque tenia hambre." Tambien mi familia esta pendiente... al final no somos mexicanos pero como hispanoamericanos, gozamos el doble con las delicias de comidas que encontramos por la blogosfera.
My friend John couldn't wait one more minute... he called every hour asking me for a taco recipe, obviously he was pretty hungry. My family as well... then again, we're not Mexicans but we enjoy all the succulent foods available in the blogosphere just the same.
Mi primer plan de accion... comprar la mejor posta de cerdo disponible en el mercado de carnes. Que, queeeeeee....? Estas loco, loco? Mmm... a ver veamos, de que nos preocupamos? Una de las carnes blancas mas exquisitas y eternamente leales a la crianza en granja, monitoreada su calidad bajo las mas estrictas condiciones de salubridad que existen para conformar los estandares internacionales de ventas al consumidor masivo. Acaso no nos lavamos las manos con jabon antes de comer...? Pues es exactamente lo mismo.
My first course of action.... it was to get the best pork shoulder available in the open market. Whaaaaaaat.... ? You crazy, loco? Let's see... why do we worry? One of the most exquisite white meats and eternally loyal to farm breeding, its quality monitored under the strictest International Health Standards for massive consumption. Didn't we learn to wash our hands with soap before heading out to the table? Then, it's just the same.
Por lo tanto, seamos mas sensatos con nuestros alimentos basicos. Y demostremos que tenemos todo el pudor y deseo de mantener el equilibrio de nuestras vidas, con los antojitos mas criollos que podamos imaginar. Y aqui esta la mejor receta de Tacos Al Pastor que preparare para el Cinco de Mayo.
Therefore, let's be fair to our basic foods and show our best of intentions in maintaining a balanced life, with our most innate of cravings. And here it's the best Tacos Al Pastor that I'll prepare for Cinco de Mayo.
Ingredients.
- 5 dried guajillo chiles
- 5 dried chiles negros or ancho chiles
- 5 dried pasilla chiles
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup white vinegar, preferably Heinz, plus more to thin the marinade if necessary
- 2 tbsp achiote paste
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp finely minced white onion
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup of pineapple juice
- 4 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs or pork shoulder
Directions.
Since most people don't have a rotisserie or spit, here's another method to prepare Tacos al Pastor.
Marinate the pork in the vinegar for about 2 hours. (See Reading below...) Remove and drain well. Boil the guajillo, ancho and pasilla chilis in about 3 cups of water until soft. Remove the veins and seeds. In a blender, combine the chillis, tomato, half the onion, achiote paste, garlic, cumin and cloves and blend until smooth. Add the pineapple juice and salt to taste.
Heat one table spoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool. Marinate the pork in the sauce for at least half an hour. Heat the other tablespoon of oil in the same skillet. Add the remaining minced onion and cook until tender. Add the pork and cook until done.
Slice the pork into smaller pieces. Serve with warm up tortillas and serve meat on the tortillas taco-style. Remember, it's usually 2 stacked tortillas per taco as they are quite small. Serve with the lime wedges, cilantro, pineapple, and salsa to taste.
A little Reading while marinating the meat.
Some people say that Lebanese immigrants brought the concept with them when they arrived in the sixties. The original dish apparently was made from lamb marinated in herbs, various pieces being stacked one on top of the other on a spit and slow roasted rotisserie-style in front of a flame. Then small pieces of the meat were shaved off and put on a pita bread. But traditionally here in Mexico, we’ve replaced the lamb with pork, and instead of an herb marinade we use dried chilis. And, well, there’s nothing quite like them. Before you know it, you’ll have scarfed down 5 or 6 tacos! Plus, the freshly squeezed lime juice and various salsas you have to choose from in the taquerias definitely add the perfect touch. You won’t be able to resist!
Thanks, Lindsay!
In the spirit of New World Cuisine!
