Recipe courtesy of Chef Rafael Rios of Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Makes 10 servings of 2 tortitas per person
The Sauce:
64 oz. ripe plum tomatoes 3 ea. guajillo peppers
5 ea. arbol chile peppers 1 ea. chipotle pepper
4 large cloves of garlic
1 medium onion, chopped 1 t. powdered cumin
1 T. Mexican oregano
2 fresh epazote sprigs 1 T. kosher salt
3 c. olive oil
The Tortitas:
2 lbs. huazontle stems (about 10 stems)
1 gal. water for boiling 1 T. salt
3 1⁄4 c. wheat flour
3⁄4 lbs. feta cheese
3⁄4 lbs. queso asadero or shredded fresh cotija
4 eggs
4 c. olive oil for frying
Remove flower buds from the main thick stems and place in a strainer, saving one stem with flowers for each plate separately. Remove any stems and small leaves from the remainder of the thick stems. Place under running water to clean and shake the strainer to remove any excess water.
Cook huauzontle florets in a medi- um-sized pot with water and a pinch of salt at medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. They will be tender but still have a bright green color. Remove and drain any excess water.
Place cooked huauzontles in a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible or use a strainer and shake to remove moisture. Check for any little stems, sticks, or leaves and discard them. Set aside to cool.
While huauzontles are draining, cook tomatoes, chiles and garlic in a pot with water until they are soft, and tomato skins start to peel.
Once cooked, place tomatoes (skins discarded) in a blender along with chiles and garlic. Process until you have a very smooth sauce.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil at medium heat and add chopped onion. Cook until transparent and stir in tomato sauce. Season with salt, oregano, cumin and epazote sprigs. Gently simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes until sauce reduces a little and all flavors are blended. Salt to taste.
Making the tortitas
To form the patties (“tortitas”), place a small amount of huauzontle in your hand and squeeze to re- move any remaining moisture.
Add some of each cheese, cover with more huauzontle, and squeeze to form the patty.
Spread flour on a large plate and lightly coat patties in it, one by one. Shake off any excess flour, making sure patties keep their shape. Form the rest of the patties using the same process.
Heat oil (it should be about 3⁄4-in. deep). While oil heats, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then stir in yolks one by one while beating until you have a fluffy batter. Season with salt.
Once oil is hot, dip each patty into beaten eggs, making sure it is well coated. Carefully place patty into hot oil; do not overcrowd the skil- let. Fry each side until it is a deep golden color; turn the patty gently. After frying, place patty on a paper towel to absorb oil.
To serve
Place a small amount of warm tomato sauce on a plate. Top with the patties and a mustard greens salad with simple lime vinaigrette, roasted corn, toasted pepitas, crumbled feta and red onions.
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