Volcan De Mi Tierra X.a Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar and sea salt. Cut the cold butter and shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter bits remaining.

Drizzle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until dough holds when pressed but is not sticky (about 5–6 tablespoons). Gather dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.

Shape and par-bake

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface roll chilled dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out six 4.5–5 inch rounds. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use the back of a smaller cup to press a 2-inch well in the center of each round, leaving the outer rim slightly raised to form a volcano edge.

Whisk the egg and brush the rims lightly. Prick the center wells a few times with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake shells until golden at the edges, about 12–15 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack while you prepare filling. Keep oven on for final bake later.

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from ancho and guajillo chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side until aromatic but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water; steep 15 minutes to soften. Reserve soaking liquid.

Drain chiles (reserve 3/4 cup soaking liquid), then puree chiles in a blender with 2 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid until smooth. Set aside.

Brown the beef

Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season beef pieces with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Brown beef in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, to develop color. Transfer browned beef to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté diced onion until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika and ground cumin and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the chile puree, brown beef and any accumulated juices, beef stock, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and gently braise until beef is tender about 35–45 minutes. If sauce reduces too fast add small amounts of reserved chile soaking liquid.

Uncover, stir in drained black beans and simmer uncovered 5–7 minutes to thicken and allow flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning with remaining kosher salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and shred larger pieces lightly with two forks; filling should be saucy but not watery.

Roast ingredients

Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). On a small baking sheet toss halved plum tomatoes, serrano (or substitute), and whole garlic clove with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sea salt. Roast until blistered and slightly charred, about 12–15 minutes.

Allow roasted vegetables to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with chipotle in adobo, lime juice, honey and 2 tablespoons of the braising liquid or water. Purée until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and acidity. If too thick, thin with up to 2 tablespoons water. Keep warm or reheat briefly when assembling.

Fill the volcan shells

Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C). Spoon a generous 3–4 tablespoons of the braised beef and black bean filling into each par-baked shell well, mounding slightly so filling reaches the rim but does not overflow.

Top each filled shell with about 1 tablespoon of the lava sauce, letting it pool in the center and run toward the rim for a molten look.

Sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco over each, then return to the oven and bake 8–10 minutes until cheese is slightly melted and edges of the shell are crisp.

Remove from oven. Garnish with chopped cilantro, pickled red onion, and avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the volcan. Each finished volcan should be served hot for the best molten effect.