Recipe: Mini Oaxacan-Style Tlayudas with Rib-Eye and Salsa Negra

Tlayuditas

Makes 6 tlayuditas

A mini, vegan version of tlayudas, one of Oaxaca’s classic street foods.

Ingredients

• 6 6-inch corn tortilla, toasted over a grill or open flame until crispy
• 1 cup vegan aciento (see recipe below)
• Vegan refritos (see recipe below)
• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 heirloom tomatoes, cut in half and sliced
• 1 pack queso Oaxaca, finely shredded
• Avocado oil (or another high smoke-point oil)
• 12 very thin slices of raw rib-eye steak (your butcher can prepare this for you)
• Salsa negra (see recipe below; make 1 day ahead)
• Cilantro, for garnish

Method

Over the grill, slowly toast the tortillas until they start to puff and get golden, crispy and slightly charred.

Spread aciento in a thin layer over each tortilla, followed by a thin layer of the refritos.

Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits. Cut a few thin slices of avocado and place on top of the refrito layer. Add a few tomato slices, then spread a layer of the shredded queso Oaxaca overtop.

Heat a large pan or comal over medium-high heat. Season the pan with a little bit of oil. Season the rib-eye with salt, and place on the hot pan to sear until its colour starts to change and the meat is almost cooked through. Remove from heat and place 2 pieces of the unseared side of the rib-eye overtop of each of the tlayudas. Spoon over the salsa negra, add a few leaves of fresh cilantro and serve.

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Vegan Aciento

Ingredients

• ¾ cup vegetable shortening
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt

Method

In a skillet over medium heat, add shortening and fry garlic until lightly browned and aromatic (about 2 to 3 minutes). In a separate pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, add pumpkin and sunflower seeds and toast, constantly stirring (be mindful not to let them burn). Transfer garlic, shortening and seeds to a blender with the salt and process until it becomes a thick, smooth paste. It should take a couple of minutes and will thicken as it cools.

Store refrigerated. Will last up to 2 weeks.

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Vegan Refritos

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans or pinto beans
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening (you can also use lard)
• ½ tsp salt

Method

Drain beans and reserve the liquid.

In a blender, add beans and salt and blend, adding back the liquid until a smooth puree has formed. Heat the vegetable shortening in a skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add the bean puree and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add reserved bean liquid if necessary to maintain a thick and creamy consistency.

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Salsa Negra

Ingredients

• 2 cups avocado or vegetable oil
• 8 dried, smoked morita chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 8 dried, smoked chipotle chilies, stemmed and seeded (do not used canned chipotles)
• 35 to 40 cloves garlic, peeled (2 to 3 heads)
• 1 tbsp piloncillo, grated (you can also use brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted

Method

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil to 350°F. Add moritas and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until they puff up and the colour darkens. Remove chilies from heat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Place chipotles in the pan and fry in the same way, removing when ready. Add all of the peeled garlic cloves to the pan and remove from heat. Let garlic cloves very lightly bubble and simmer, maintaining a light colour, until they get super soft and creamy and can easily mash (about 8 to 10 minutes). You may have to add back to low heat to keep the garlic very lightly frying. Remove garlic from oil with a slotted spoon, reserving the oil, and add to a blender with the fried chilies, piloncillo, salt and walnuts. Once oil has cooled enough to work with, start blending the ingredients and slowly drizzle oil into the blender until it forms a very smooth, uniform puree. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Chef’s Tip: You can use homemade frijoles aguados (boiled beans) in place of the canned beans if you prefer.