El Plato Grande Recipe

Name: Café Castros El Plato Grande Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbs shortening or lard; 3 tbs warm water; 2 cups oil (for frying); 2 cups dried red chile pods or green chile; 2 cups water; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs vegetable oil

Inspired by Café Castro

Time1h 30m

Serves4

A large serving of traditional Northern New Mexican cuisine with red or green chile and a fluffy, golden sopaipilla.

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Ingredients

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For the Sopaipillas

2 cups 00 bread flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tbs shortening or lard

3 tbs warm water

2 cups oil (for frying)

For the Red or Green Chile

2 cups dried red chile pods or green chile

2 cups water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbs Tuscany sunflower oil

Method

Preparing the Sopaipillas

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in warm water until a soft dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Roll and Cut

After resting, divide the dough into small balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball out to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into squares or circles.

Fry the Sopaipillas

In a deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry the sopaipillas in batches until they puff up and are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Making the Chile Sauce

Prepare the Chile

If using dried red chile pods, remove stems and seeds. Soak the pods in hot water for about 30 minutes until soft.

Blend the Sauce

In a blender, combine soaked chile (or fresh green chile), onion, garlic, and water. Blend until smooth.

Cook the Sauce

In a saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the blended mixture and bring to a simmer. Season with ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes until thickened.