Recipe and image created by Nicole Presley*/@presleyspantry for the CMAB
Makes 16 chicharrónes
The Chicharrónes
2 c. Real California Oaxaca cheese, grated
Grate Oaxaca cheese until you have a couple of cups. Line the air fryer basket rack with a 2×3-inch piece of parchment paper. Drop two tablespoons of Oaxaca cheese onto the parchment paper. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 6 minutes. Chicharrónes will come out crisp and delicious. Remove from air fryer carefully with a small spatula and blot off excess oil. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
*I tuck a little piece of parchment paper into the side between the rack and the basket to secure the paper from lifting or curling.
The Green Salsa:
½ T. vegetable oil
½ onion (remove outer peel)
2 garlic cloves (remove outer peel)
½ c. water
2 tomatillos
1 serrano chile
1 jalapeño chile
1 yellow chile (Güero)
Pour vegetable oil into a small frying pan over a medium high heat and allow to get hot. Add peeled onion and peeled garlic cloves. Fry until browned. Put in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth. Pour into a bowl or jar and refrigerate.
The Salsa Amarillo:
½ T. vegetable oil
½ large white onion (cut into 2 pieces)
3 garlic cloves
3 Roma tomatoes
2 chile de arbol
2 serrano chiles
4 jalapeño chiles
4 yellow chiles (Güero)
6 stalks green onion (white part only, chopped)
¼ c. cilantro (remove stems, tear leaves into little pieces)
1 t. black pepper
2 c. water that chiles were boiled in
Pour vegetable oil into a small frying pan and, over medium heat, add white onion and garlic cloves, allowing to brown on all sides. Take out of pan and set aside.
Fill a large, lidded pot (8 to 9 quarts) halfway with water. Set over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
Add serrano, jalapeño and yellow chiles, cover and let boil for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and chile de arbol, cover and let boil for an additional 20 minutes.
While waiting chiles to boil, chop green onions and tear the cilantro.
Add boiled tomatoes, chile de arbol (stems removed), fried onion, fried garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups of water from boiled chiles, serrano chiles (stems removed), jalapeño chiles (stems removed), and yellow chiles (stems removed) to blender and pulse for 30 seconds.
Pour into bowl and mix in cilantro and green onion.
The Salsa Guajillo:
2 tomatoes
7 guajillo chiles
5 chile de arbol
2 garlic cloves
¼ white onion
½ c. water chiles were boiled in
Salt and pepper to taste
Fill lidded pot halfway with water and add tomatoes, guajillo chiles and chile de arbol. Over medium high heat, bring to a boil and boil for 25 minutes.
Add tomatoes and chiles (stems removed), salt and pepper, garlic cloves, and onion to a blender with 1/2 cup water chiles were boiled in and pulse until smooth.
Pour into bowl and serve.
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