Jalisco Style Tostadas Or Sopes Recipes

JALISCO-STYLE TOSTADAS (OR SOPES)

Steps:

• Pico de Gallo: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. The salsa is best prepared for optimum flavor 1 hour in advance.
• Meat: Cook *beef and chorizo in a heated skillet, breaking chorizo meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Set aside. *Although the chorizo is wonderfully seasoned, my husband added a little more spices and such to the meat mixture: chipotle powder, cumin, part of a small cinnamon stick or small pinch of ground cinnamon, Mexican oregano, very small amount of salt-free garlic powder and black pepper -- that I can remember.
• Heat up the refried beans and simmer on low until ready to serve. Add more cooking liquid if the beans start to dry out.
• For the thick tortillas, mix masa and salt in a bowl. Add 1 1/4 to 11/2 c of water and knead for 1-2 min until dough comes together and is pliable. (A food processor works well for this step.) If the dough seems too dry, add more water, a tablespoon or so at a time.
• Divide dough into 8 equal portions and form into balls.
• To Make Sopes: Press the dough with your fingers from the center outwards to create a shallow, flat bowl approximately 5" in diameter. Heat 1" of vegetable oil in a skillet to 350° and fry tortillas approximately 2 min each side, until golden brown. Remove from oil and place onto paper towels.
• To Make Tostadas: Take each portion/ball of dough and flatten either with a tortilla press or with a rolling pin to about shy 1/2" thickness. Fry the same way as indicated in Step above.
• To assemble, place a tortilla onto a plate, top with refried beans, ground beef and chorizo mix, pico de gallo, cheese and shredded cabbage/lettuce and radishes. Add a dollop of crema and garnish with cilantro and lime.
• Serving suggestions: I placed the garnishes on a large platter for a "Build-Your-Own" Tostada Bar. Best part of this recipe? LEFTOVERS! Our sides: Recipe #117892 and Recipe #12740 (subbing strawberries, Texas Red Star grapefruit and Valencia oranges for the melons.).