Pork & Tortilla Casserole (Chilaquiles De Puerco)
Mexican Cooking Class Cookbook. By the Editors of Consumer Guide. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, 1990. Spiral bound hardcover.
8 (6-inch or 15-cm) corn tortillas, preferably day old
2 pounds (900 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 teaspoon salt
Water
Lard or vegetable oil
2 fresh poblano chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, deveined (see page 5), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon (2 mL) ground cumin
I can (13 ounces or 370 g) tomatillos, undrained, coarsely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 mL) coarsely chopped fresh coriander
1 cup (250 mL) shredded queso Chihuahua or Monterey jack cheese
1 cup (250 mL) shredded mild cheddar cheese
5 or 6 tomato slices, cut into halves
½ cup (125 mL) Mexican Cream (see index) or sour cream
Fresh coriander sprigs
Stack tortillas. Cut in half; then cut crosswise into ½ inch (1.3-cm) wide strips. Spread loosely on wire rack; let stand 1 to 2 hours to dry slightly.
Combine pork, 1 onion and salt in a large saucepan; add water to cover pork. Heat over high heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until pork is tender, 1 ½ hours.
Melt enough lard in deep, heavy, large skillet for ½-inch (1.3-cm) depth. Heat to 375 ℉ (190 ℃); adjust heat to maintain temperature. Fry tortilla strips in lard, about ½ at a time, stirring and turning occasionally, until crisp, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper toweling.
Heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) lard in 10-inch (25-cm) skillet over medium heat until hot. Add remaining onion; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add chilies, garlic and cumin; sauté 1 minute. Stir in undrained tomatillos. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Add whipping cream to skillet, cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced to 2 2/3 cups (660 mL), 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in chopped coriander
Heat oven to 375 ℉ (190 ℃). Mix cheeses in small bowl. Drain pork; using 2 forks, pull into coarse shreds.
Spread ½ of tortilla strips in greased, shallow 2 ½-quart (2.5-L) casserole. Add layers of ½ each pork, cream mixture and cheeses in that order. Repeat all layers.
Bake until hot throughout and golden on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with tomato slices, Mexican Cream and coriander sprigs.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Page 5
HELPFUL PREPARATION TECHNIQUES
Roast, peel, seed and devein fresh chilies. Using tongs to hold chili, place each chili directly in medium flame of gas burner; roast, turning as needed, until chili is evenly blistered and charred. Place roasted chili into plastic bag immediately; close the plastic bag. Repeat with remaining chilies. (Or place chilies on foil-lined broiler rack; roast, turning as needed, 2 to 3 inches or 5 to 8 cm from broiler heat source until evenly blistered and charred.)
Let roasted chilies stand in closed plastic bag 20 minutes. Place each chili under cold, running water rubbing and pulling off charred skin. Slit chili open lengthwise using scissors or knife. Carefully pull out and discard seeds and veins. Rinse well and drain; pat dry with paper toweling.