Choriqueso Torta

Servings: 4  tortas
There are so many great tortas–from the crazy good chilaquiles torta with milanesa from the famous vendor in Mexico City to a meat-loaded torta cubana from pretty much any torteria. But this one, packed with gooey cheese and chorizo, may just be my favorite. It’s classic with a smear of beans on the bottom and another of mayo on the top. But it’s the pickled jalapeño and avocado that really make it sing. If (when) you fall in love with it, you’ll likely be motivated to make homemade teleras to sandwich all this deliciousness.   Torta de Choriqueso are typically made in torterias that make tortas a la plancha, tortas made on huge griddles. The cooks split and toast the teleras on the griddle, then scatter on the chorizo and cheese, working the two together until melty, even a little crispy on the edges.

INGREDIENTS

  • A 15- ounce can black beans, undrained
  • Salt
  • 4 telera rolls
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces (about 1 cup) Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
  • 1 small (4 ounce) onion, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (such as Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey jack, colby or mild cheddar
  • A generous 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 avocado pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 4 to 6 pickled jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
  • About 3/4 cup roasted tomatillo salsa OR Mexican hot sauce like Tamazula or Valentina

INSTRUCTIONS

Puree the beans. Scrape the beans into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. (If the beans won’t move through the blender blades, add water–a little at a time– until the beans move.) The consistency should be as thick as mayonnaise; if yours is thick, add a little water.  Taste and season with salt if necessary. Scrape into a bowl.

Toast the teleras. Heat the oven to 350 degrees (I typically use my toaster oven). Using a serrated knife held parallel to the countertop, evenly split the teleras. Bake until crispy, usually 5 to 10 minutes.

Cook Chorizo. In a large (10-inch) skillet (preferably nonstick), heat the oil over medium. When hot, add the chorizo and onion and cook, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps, until lightly browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Finish the tortas. While the chorizo is cooking, spread the bottoms of the teleras with beans (each will take a couple of tablespoons; you’ll have some beans leftover). Spread the tops with a portion of the mayonnaise. When the chorizo is ready, add the cheese and stir until melted. Remove the skillet from the heat. Scoop a portion of the cheesey mixture over the beans on the bottom of each telera, then lay on the avocado slices and pickled jalapeño. Set the tops in place. Serve your tortas with salsa or hot sauce for each person to add al gusto.