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With our kitchen out of commission for a few weeks, we’re trying to simplify dinner.\u00a0 Cooking isn’t really the issue \u2013 there’s always the grill or the camp stove\u2013 but I’m definitely not eager to wash piles of dishes by hand.<\/p>\n
Sandwiches are part of our strategy. We’re not talking fast food here. My ideal sandwich is homemade on good bread with lively fillings and the fresh flavors of summer produce.<\/p>\n
These tortas<\/em> qualify on all counts.\u00a0 Pork tenderloin, marinated for hours in a vibrant adobo sauce before grilling, is the star.\u00a0 But it wouldn’t shine so brightly without a strong supporting cast:\u00a0 Yeasty rolls (preferably fluffy bolillos<\/em> from a Mexican bakery), grilled red onions, dead ripe tomatoes, salty Mexican cheese, lettuce and avocado.\u00a0 Plus pickled jalapenos and carrots for a fiery jolt.\u00a0 Together, they’re a irresistible combination of complementary flavors, textures and temperatures.<\/p>\n If you’ve never eaten a Mexican sandwich, you’re in for a treat. Throughout Mexico, tortas<\/em> compete with tacos for popularity on the street. The right bread is crucial. Although some recipes call for a crusty roll, the torpedo-shaped bolillos<\/em>, fairly soft and a little sweet, are the best choice.\u00a0 In a pinch, a French style sandwich roll will do fine.<\/p>\n Soft, salty queso fresco<\/em> is classic and easy to find in most Northern California markets, though mild goat cheese makes an acceptable substitute.\u00a0 Pickled jalapenos and carrots are available in jars, labeled en escabeche<\/em>, at many stores.<\/p>\n For the meat, I prefer pork steeped in a chile marinade then grilled.\u00a0 This simple adobo comes from Rick Bayless’ “Mexican Everyday” (W.W. Norton, 2005).\u00a0 Since I had some dried ancho chiles in the pantry, I made it from scratch, but Bayless also offers a speedy version made with ancho chile powder, which I’m including here.<\/p>\n Most frequently, the pork is sliced thinly before marinating and grilled quickly over a hot fire. It’s very good that way, although butterflying the meat and pounding it to an even \u00bc inch thickness is a little tricky.\u00a0 My experiments, on the other hand, revealed that tenderloin is also terrific when cooked whole and sliced thinly just before serving.\u00a0\u00a0 The juicy slices sing with porcine flavor, ancho spice and a hint of smoke.<\/p>\n Flavors this bold and satisfying make a sandwich truly worthy of dinner.<\/p>\n For the marinade:<\/strong> For the sandwich:<\/strong> Make the marinade:<\/strong> Warm the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add garlic, stirring just until fragrant, about 1 minute.\u00a0 Whisk in the chile powder, vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt and \u00be cup water.\u00a0 Simmer for about 10 minutes then allow to cool to room temperature.\u00a0 Marinade can be made ahead and refrigerated in a covered container for a month or more.<\/p>\n Marinate the meat: <\/strong> Rinse and pat dry the tenderloin.\u00a0 Leave whole.\u00a0 Or, if you’re going to butterfly the meat, cut tenderloin in half lengthwise.\u00a0 Then make a deep cut lengthwise in each half to about \u00bd inch from the opposite side, being careful not to cut all the way through.\u00a0 Open each half up like a book and place it between sheets of plastic wrap on a flat, sturdy surface and pound with a heavy cleaver, rolling pin or the bottom of a hefty skillet until it’s uniformly about \u00bc-inch thick.<\/p>\n Place meat in a container large enough for it to lie flat and pour marinade over it.\u00a0 Turn meat to coat evenly in marinade, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, turning meat a couple of times during marination.<\/p>\n Grill meat and assemble sandwiches:<\/strong> Preheat grill.\u00a0 Clean and oil grate.\u00a0 Carefully place slices of onion on grill and cook a couple of minutes until grill marks are visibile on one side.\u00a0 Flip them over and cook the other side.\u00a0 Remove to a plate and set aside.<\/p>\n For whole tenderloins, lower heat to medium and grill directly over fire, turning every 5 minutes, until barely pink in the center \u2013 about 15 minutes total.\u00a0 Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.<\/p>\n For butterflied meat, keep the grill heat high.\u00a0 Lift meat out of marinade, shaking off excess, and place on grill.\u00a0 Cook 2 minutes on one side, until nicely marked, then turn and cook 2 minutes on the other side.<\/p>\n To make sandwiches, spread cut sides of each roll with a thin coat of mayonnaise.\u00a0 Layer bottom half of roll with slices of meat, onions, tomato and cheese.\u00a0 Top with a lettuce leaf, a couple of slices of avocado and pickled jalapenos and carrots to taste.\u00a0 Cap with the top half of roll and serve.<\/p>\n Note:<\/strong> To make marinade with dried chiles, stem and seed about 8 ancho chiles.\u00a0 In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast each side of chiles about 10 seconds, until aromatic.\u00a0 Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water, using a smaller plate as a weight to keep them submerged.\u00a0 Let stand for 30 minutes until soft, then drain and whirl in blender with 2 cups water. This makes about 3 cups of puree.<\/p>\n For the marinade, follow above instructions using 1\/3 cup puree in place of the chile powder. Reduce water to 1\/3\u00a0 cup and increase salt to a generous teaspoon.\u00a0 Bring mixture to a simmer but skip the last 10 minutes of cooking.<\/p>\n Marinade adapted from “Mexican Everyday” by Rick Bayless.<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With our kitchen out of commission for a few weeks, we’re trying to simplify dinner.\u00a0 Cooking isn’t really the issue \u2013 there’s always the grill or the camp stove\u2013 but I’m definitely not eager to wash piles of dishes by hand. Sandwiches are part of our strategy. We’re not talking fast food here. My ideal … Continue reading Tortas for dinner<\/span> ADOBO PORK TORTAS<\/strong>
\nServes 4<\/em><\/p>\n
\n1 tablespoon olive oil
\n4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
\n1\/3 cup ground ancho chile powder (see Note<\/strong>)
\n2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
\n1 teaspoon oregano
\n\u00bd teaspoon sugar
\n\u00be teaspoon salt
\nWater<\/p>\n
\n2 pork tenderloins (about 1\u00bd pounds total)
\n4 thick slices red onion
\n4 bollilos<\/em> or soft French rolls, split in half horizontally
\nMayonnaise
\n1 medium tomato, sliced
\n4 slices queso fresco<\/em> or goat cheese
\n4 leaves red or green leaf lettuce
\n1 avocado pitted and sliced lengthwise
\nJalapenos and carrots en escabeche<\/em><\/p>\n