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Tortas Ahogadas

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  • Prep 40 min
  • Total 60 min
  • Ingredients 21
  • Servings 6
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Tortas ahogadas are Mexico’s version of the French Dip sandwich, but with a spicy kick! They were sold as street food throughout Mexico but have quickly been added to menus at many popular restaurants in larger cities.
Sonia Mendez Garcia
Updated Sep 21, 2015
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Ingredients

  • 5 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 ancho chiles, stem and seeds removed
  • 12 chiles de arbol, stems removed
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 small red onions, 1 coarsely chopped and 1 sliced into thin strips
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 5 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced into thin strips
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless thin pork chops
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 avocado
  • 6 radishes, sliced thin
  • 6 Bolillo rolls

Directions

  •  
    1
    In a pot, combine the tomatoes, ancho chiles and chiles de árbol. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the liquid.
  •  
    2
    Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender, add the chopped onion, sliced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 cups chicken broth. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  •  
    3
    In the same pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Preheat at medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato mixture from the blender and whisk to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar and the bay leaf. Cook at a low simmer for 35 to 40 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Taste for salt.
  •  
    4
    In a nonstick pan, preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil at medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sliced onion and jalapeño and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, add 2 tablespoons vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  •  
    5
    Preheat 2 tablespoons olive oil at medium heat for 5 minutes. Season pork lightly on one side with salt, pepper and garlic powder. When the pan is hot, cook the pork chops on each side for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and let them rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.
  •  
    6
    Slice the avocado and radishes into thin slices and set aside. Slice the rolls in half and remove some of the excess bread inside. Slice the pork into thin slices. Place the avocado slices onto the bottoms of the rolls; add the pork, 2 tablespoons of sauce and tops of the rolls. Transfer the tortas to individual serving plates and ladle 3/4 cup of sauce over each torta. Garnish with the red onion/jalapeño mixture and radish slices. Serve right away.

Expert Tips

  • tip 1
    If you find yourself with a large amount of dried peppers, toast them and use a spice grinder or coffee bean grinder to make pure chile powder. Most store-bought chile powders are blended with other spices.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

  • Tortas ahogadas are Mexico’s version of the French Dip sandwich, but with a spicy kick! They were sold as street food throughout Mexico but have quickly been added to menus at many popular restaurants in larger cities.
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