Tacos al pastor

page 117 From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa (recipe only)



Ingredients
 
2 kilos (4.4 pounds) boneless pork leg, sliced very thin (less than 6 mm / 1⁄4 inch)
6 ancho chiles
1⁄2 head garlic, peeled
3 teaspoons salt
1 large can sliced pineapple (1.7 pounds/820 grams)
1⁄3 large onion
oil (small amount for searing the meat)
warm corn tortillas (lots of them)

In a small pan of boiling water, add the ancho chiles. When they are soft, about 5–10 minutes, remove them from the water. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the stems, seeds, and veins. Place the cleaned chiles in a blender jar with the garlic, 3 teaspoons salt, onion, juice from the canned pineapple, and enough water to cover the chiles. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a wide pan or dish.

In a hot skillet or grill pan, drizzle 1 tablespoon oil. Heat until it is very hot. Dip the meat slices into the ancho sauce, then carefully place them in the hot pan. Since the meat is very thin, it will cook in about 3–4 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness you have). When the meat is done, remove it to a
plate. Scrape the scraps from the pan after each piece of meat is cooked and discard so you don’t have any burned sauce on the next piece. Add more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, and repeat the cooking process with as much of the meat as you wish to cook.

Dip the pineapple slices into the sauce, and sear them on both sides.

Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and put on a large plate. Chop the pineapple into chunks, and place alongside the meat on the plate. Each person can make his or her own tacos from this serving plate.

Spoon the meat and pineapple into warm tortillas.

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