My friend Abby’s family is from Mexico. When they make an all out Mexican feast at their house, trust me, it’s the real deal Holyfield of Mexican food. If you’re thinking Taco Bell, Chipotle or Moe’s you’re way off…that is not authentic and fresh Mexican cuisine. One of the meals my friend Abby’s mom prepared at one of the last gatherings they hosted was sopes. I’ve had Scott Linquist’s Mod Mex cookbook, once Dos Caminos owner and executive chef and now owner of Coyo Taco, for about ten years now and have had this tabbed but have never gotten around to making them. Well, Abby’s mom’s sopes are the best and none can top that with her special TLC but these are pretty good and will do when I am craving them on the fly during this pregnancy. This is technically three separate recipes from The Mod Mex cookbook merged into one. Chicken and mushroom with roasted tomato salsita sopes are an excellent alternative for your taco Tuesday repertoire if you’re tiring of tacos. Enjoy it soon! I know I will be frequenting this recipe. Ha! Ha!
Mushroom and Roasted Tomato Salsita Sopes
Ingredients
Sopes
1 1/4 cup corn flour
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
1/2 cup water
1 tsp kosher salt
Chicken
2 chicken breasts, halved into cutlets
juice of 2 limes
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper
Roasted Tomato Salsita
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1.5 oz piloncillo
Mushroom Filling
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
Toppings
Avocado
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Prepare
Sopes
1. In a large bowl, mix together the corn flour, shortening, water, salt, and knead gently until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Roll about 3 tbsp. of masa into a ball, and then flatten the ball using your thumb and the palm of your hand to form a 2 1/2 inch round disk, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
3. Repeat until you have 12 disks.
4. Set aside while preparing the salsa and filling.
Chicken
1. Halve the chicken breasts into cutlets to yield 4 cutlets.
2. Place chicken in a shallow bowl with juice from two limes, salt, and pepper, and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Heat a grill to high heat and remove the cutlets from the bag and grill for 4 – 5 minutes on each side.
4. Cut into small strips, diagonally, on cutting board.
Roasted Tomato Salsita
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and halve the cherry tomatoes.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place halved tomatoes, open side up and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Remove and cool on the baking sheet.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
5. Add the butter and onion and sauté until onion turns golden in color, about six minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.
7. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, piloncillo, and salt over low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.
8. In a large bow, toss together the roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, and vinegar syrup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Filling
1. Heat 1/2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking.
2. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and sauté until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning often.
3. Transfer the mushroom to a small bowl.
4. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Finish
Assembling
1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet and heat sopes for 1 – 2 minutes each side.
2. Layer sopes with chicken, avocado, mushrooms, and salsita, sour cream, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
- 1 1/4 cup corn flour
- 2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, halved into cutlets
- juice of 2 limes
- sea salt
- freshly cracked pepper
- Roasted Tomato Salsita
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 oz piloncillo
- Mushroom Filling
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- Sopes
- In a large bowl, mix together the corn flour, shortening, water, salt, and knead gently until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Roll about 3 tbsp. of masa into a ball, and then flatten the ball using your thumb and the palm of your hand to form a 2 1/2 inch round disk, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Repeat until you have 12 disks.
- Set aside while preparing the salsa and filling.
- Chicken
- Halve the chicken breasts into cutlets to yield 4 cutlets.
- Place chicken in a shallow bowl with juice from two limes, salt, and pepper, and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill to high heat and remove the cutlets from the bag and grill for 4 - 5 minutes on each side.
- Cut into small strips, diagonally, on cutting board.
- Roasted Tomato Salsita
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Lightly oil a baking sheet and place halved tomatoes, open side up and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Remove and cool on the baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter and onion and sauté until onion turns golden in color, about six minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, piloncillo, and salt over low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bow, toss together the roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, and vinegar syrup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mushroom Filling
- Heat 1/2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking.
- Add the mushrooms and 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and sauté until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning often.
- Transfer the mushroom to a small bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
- Finish
- Assembling
- Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet and heat sopes for 1 - 2 minutes each side.
- Layer sopes with chicken, avocado, mushrooms, and salsita, sour cream, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
