Curtido Recipe Pupusas Recipe Salsa

CURTIDO (EL SALVADORAN CABBAGE SALAD)

Steps:

• Combine the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over the mixture. Allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes; drain well. Return the cabbage and carrots to the bowl. Mix in the green onion, vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, and oregano. Toss until all ingredients are combined. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.

PUPUSAS

Steps:

• Combine tomato sauce, water, cilantro, green bell pepper, onion, crushed garlic, bouillon cube, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Let salsa roja cool for 10 minutes.
• Fill a blender halfway with the salsa roja. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour into a bowl. Repeat with remaining salsa roja. Return to saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes more stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely, about 1 hour, and refrigerate.
• Place cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add 4 cups boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well. Mix in vinegar, scallions, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Chill curtido until serving.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until almost fully cooked and not yet crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon and grease (if desired) to a food processor. Add tomatoes, quartered green bell pepper, Monterey Jack cheese, and minced garlic. Puree and season the chicharron with salt.
• Mix masa harina and 1/2 cup water together in a bowl by hand. Add the remaining water slowly, about 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition, until dough is moist but still firm. Cover with a wet towel.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball in your hands. Make a hole in the dough ball with your thumb; put a small amount of chicharron inside the hole, close it up, and flatten the ball with your hands into a thick tortilla shape. Place pupusa in the skillet and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining dough and chicharron.
• Serve each pupusa topped with 2 tablespoons of curtido and 1 tablespoon of salsa roja.

PUPUSAS CON CURTIDO (MASA CAKES WITH SPICY SLAW)

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, sugar, oregano, chiles, carrots, onions, and cabbage in a bowl. Season with salt; toss; let chill.
• Put masa harina and 1 3⁄4 cups water into a bowl; stir to form a dough.
• Pinch off a 1 1⁄2 oz piece of dough; roll it into a ball. Pat dough into a thin disk.
• Squeeze 1 1⁄4 oz cheese into a ball. Press cheese into center of dough; cupping dough, stretch edges of dough around cheese and seal.
• Pat dough to form a 3 1⁄2" wide disk. Repeat to make 12 pupusas in all.
• Heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, cook pupusas, turning, until golden, 10-12 minutes. Serve hot with slaw.

SALSA FOR PUPUSAS

Steps:

• Place the first 5 ingredients in the blender and blend on high.
• Heat the canola oil on medium high heat and pour the salsa into the pan.
• Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Add the vinager and the chicken bouillon powder and continue boiling for 10 minutes until the salsa is reduced by half.
• Allow the salsa to come down to room temperature and serve.