The appetizer or ‘antojito’ from the central region of Mexico was ‘Chalupitas de pollo poblanos con dos salsas’.
Chalupitas plated
Two different salsas were prepared: a salsa verde (green sauce) made with tomatillos, serrano chiles, onion, garlic and cilantro; and a salsa rojo with red plum tomatoes replacing the tomatillos, guajillo and ancho chiles replacing the serranos, and no cilantro.
Los Chiles: Serrano chiles (green) for the salsa verde and ancho chiles (dried and dark) for the salsa roja.
los chiles
The Green Sauce / Salsa verde
Tomatillos: according to Rosanna, try to buy tomatillos when the husk is separated from the tomatillo, otherwise they are not yet ripe.
ripe tomatillos
Tomatillos MUST be cooked – I didn’t know that! Dehusk and simmer the tomatillos until they are soft, but NOT until they burst.
cooking the dehusked tomatillos
Blend the cooked tomatillos with a 1/4 of chopped small onion, 2 mashed cloves of garlic, 3 chopped and de-seeded serrano chiles, a ‘bunch’ of chopped cilantro and a small amount of water.
blend the cooked tomatillos with onion, garlic and cilantro…
Put the blended mixture into a small pot, add salt to taste and simmer until turns less bright.
simmer until green becomes less bright
The Red Sauce / Salsa roja
Lightly toast 10 guajillo chiles in a dry fry pan; then transfer to a bowl and cover with boiling water for about 20 minutes. Remove the stems and seeds. Do the same with 3 ancho chiles.
guajillo chiles after the stems and seeds have been removed
Now add 2 cups chopped tomatoes, 1/4 of a chopped small onion, 1 mashed clove of garlic, along with one cup of the chile soaking liquid.
After being blended, the salsa roja goes into a pot with some salt to taste, and is simmered until cooked.
the salsa roja goes into a pot after being blended
The salsas were smeared on tortillas and ‘pulled’ or shredded chicken added on top.
adding the chicken to the Chalupitas
The whole shebang was passed through hot oil.
the whole shebang is passed through hot oil
The chalupitas were then placed on paper towels to blot off the excess oil.
Everyone got two chalupitas, one with red salsa and one with green…
Topped with some diced onion, folded into chalupitas (little canoes) and eaten with the hands, these are a traditional Mexican snack.
orange wall with cross in Coyoacan, a suburb of D.F.
merry christmas!