Saveur

Photo: Penny De Los Santos

6 plum tomatoes, cored
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 jalapeño, stemmed, halved lengthwise,
   and seeded
1 small white onion, quartered
2 tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for frying
4 canned chipotle chiles en adobo
4 tbsp. roughly chopped cilantro
1 1⁄2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1⁄4 tsp. dried oregano
10  6" corn tortillas stacked
   and cut into 1 1⁄2" squares
Kosher salt, to taste
6 oz. fresh chorizo, removed from casing
and chopped into chunks
1⁄4 cup sour cream, to garnish
2 oz. cotija or feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish
4 radishes, thinly sliced

1. Heat oven to broil and place rack 6" from heating element. In a medium bowl, toss tomatoes, garlic, jalapeño, and onions with 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Transfer ingredients to a foil-lined 9" x 13" baking pan and broil, turning occasionally as tomato skins start to blister and blacken, about 10 minutes. Transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add chipotle chiles, 2 tbsp. cilantro, sesame seeds, oregano, and 1⁄4 cup water to the food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Set sauce aside.

2. Pour vegetable oil into a deep 12" cast-iron skillet until it reaches a depth of 1"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°. Working in 2 batches, add tortillas and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tortilla chips to a paper towel–lined baking sheet. Lightly season them with salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Set aside.

3. Heat a deep 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring frequently and breaking meat up into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato–chipotle sauce to skillet, stir to combine, and season with salt. Bring to a simmer, add tortilla chips, and stir to combine. Let ingredients simmer until the tortilla chips just soften, about 2 minutes.

4. Transfer chilaquiles to a platter and garnish with remaining cilantro, sour cream, cheese, and radishes.

SERVES 6

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #114