Taquito Flight Recipe

Marinate chicken

In a bowl whisk achiote paste, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper until smooth. Add chicken thighs, coat completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

Char habanero

While chicken marinates or just before cooking, char the habanero peppers directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until blackened on all sides (about 4–6 minutes). Place in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then peel, remove stems and seeds if desired, and roughly chop. Reserve for assembly.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs oil. Remove excess marinade from chicken and sear thighs 4–5 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and edges are nicely caramelized. Let rest 5 minutes, then shred or chop into bite-size pieces for taquitos.

Combine diced pineapple, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a small bowl. Taste and adjust salt/lime. Chill until ready to use.

Prepare chiles

Toast guajillo chiles lightly in a dry pan 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Remove stems/seeds if not already removed and soak chiles in hot water for 15 minutes to soften.

Blend borracha sauce

Drain chiles and transfer to a blender with 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid or beer, half the quartered onion, 1 clove garlic, cumin, oregano and salt. Blend to a smooth sauce, adding more liquid if needed.

Brown pork

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season pork pieces with salt. Brown pork in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove pork and set aside.

Braise

In the same pot sauté remaining onion and garlic until softened (3 minutes). Add the blended guajillo sauce, beer, return pork to pot, add enough beef or water to come halfway up the meat if needed (about 1/2 cup additional liquid is fine). Bring to a simmer, cover and braise on low for 1.5–2 hours until pork is tender and shreds easily. Shred pork and keep warm in its sauce.

Cook potatoes

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain well.

Make salsa macha

While potatoes cook, warm 3 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add dried arbol chiles and toast briefly until fragrant (about 1 minute), then add toasted sesame seeds and chopped toasted peanuts; cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then pulse briefly in a mini food processor or chop to a chunky paste. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt. (Be careful — oil and chiles hot.)

Mash potatoes

Return drained potatoes to pot or bowl. Add butter, warm milk, truffle oil and 3/4 tsp salt. Mash to desired consistency. Fold in 1–2 tbs of salsa macha to taste (reserve a spoonful for topping). Keep warm.

Roast tomatoes and aromatics

Preheat broiler or 450°F oven. Halve Roma tomatoes and place cut-side up on a sheet with the halved or quartered onion and whole garlic cloves (unpeeled). Drizzle with 1 tbs oil and roast until charred and softened, 12–15 minutes under broiler or 20–25 minutes at 450°F. Let cool slightly, squeeze garlic from skins.

Make salsa

In a blender or food processor, combine roasted tomatoes, onion, peeled roasted garlic, chipotle if using, and a pinch of salt. Pulse to a chunky salsa; adjust seasoning. Reserve for plating.

Braise beef

Season chuck roast with salt and pepper. In a heavy pot heat 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat and brown roast on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Add beef stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and braise for 2–2.5 hours until meat is very tender. Remove and shred with forks, reserving some cooking liquid to moisten shredded beef as needed.

Pico de gallo

Combine diced tomato, diced white onion, chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season with 1/4 tsp salt. Chill until ready to serve.

Avocado crema

In a bowl mash avocado with sour cream or crema, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and a squeeze of lime to loosen. Whisk until smooth and spreadable. If too thick, thin with 1–2 tsp water.

Warm tortillas and assemble

Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a 300°F oven until pliable. For the taquito flight, place small portions (about 1–2 tbs) of each protein on separate tortillas or roll as tight taquitos and pan-crisp: assemble by layering the chosen protein (achiote chicken, pork borracha, truffled mashed potatoes topped with salsa macha, shredded beef), add a spoon of respective salsa (pineapple for chicken, reserved borracha sauce for pork, a drizzle of salsa macha over potatoes, roasted tomato salsa for beef), top with pico, a drizzle of avocado crema, crumbled queso fresco and a few pieces of charred habanero (use sparingly). Serve 12 small taquitos (about 3 of each variety) or as a flight on a platter.