Mexican Entomatadas

[kirra]

Mexican Entomatadas

Ingredients:

1 cinnamon stick 3 inch
3 black peppercorns whole
1/2 tsp cumin seed whole
1/4 tsp allspice ground
2 lbs ripe tomatoes (about 6)
5 chiles de arbol, stemmed, seeded soaked 30 minutes
1 1/2 Tbsp lard or oil
1 med white onions minced
12 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp panela or dark brown sugar
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
3 Tbsp lard or oil
12 corn tortillas
1/2 c ranchero cheese
1 white onions thinly sliced
1/4 c flat leafed parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped

Preparation:

Toast the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cumin seed until their
scents are released, then put them in a blender and grind with the
allspice. Skin the tomatoes by making an X on the bottom of each
and blanching in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from the pot
with a slotted spoon and cool. Peel the tomatoes and put in a
blender with the ground spices.

Drain and add the chiles to the blender. Blend. Heat the oil or
lard in a deep pot until it smoking hot. Add the onions and fry
until they are transparent. Add the garlic and, when the garlic
is light brown, carefully add the tomato mixture (it splatters!)
and stir. Stir in the sugar, oregano and bay leaf. Reduce the
heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring, to reduce and dry
the sauce. Add salt to taste.

Heat a little lard in a skillet and fry each tortilla quickly until
it is soft, then turn it over with tongs to fry the other side.
Drain.

Holding it by upper edges, dip a tortilla in the tomato sauce.
Put it on a plate and fold in half, then in half again to make a
triangle. Repeat with another tortilla on the same plate (each
serving consists of two tortillas).

Spoon more sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
Garnish with onion slices and parsley or cilantro leaves. Repeat
with the other 5 servings.