Miss Jo's San Francisco

FOR A QUICK MEXICAN FOOD FIX, MISS JO LIKES TO WHUP UP garnachas— small, fried tortillas with a dollop of shredded chicken, pork or beef that’s covered with a chunky, spicy sauce of pasilla and red chile peppers.

Shredded on top is a Mexican cole slaw called chilito, made of cabbage, carrots, jalapeños, dried oregano, balsamic vinegar and lime juice. Like the sauce, chilito can be kept in the fridge for a week or so and it gets better with time.

Any old meat or chicken will do. Miss Jo likes to use meat leftovers that get new legs by simmering in water with ample garlic and white onion.

The 3-inch across tortillas are easily made using instant masa flour and a tortilla press.

The recipe is an adaptation of one Miss Jo fancied in Mexican food anthropologist Diana Kennedy’s “My Mexico: A Culinary Odyssey.” Garnachas are anteojitos, or appetizers, but three easily make a meal. Diana’s recipe comes from Juchitan in Oaxaca. Variations are also common Mexican street food.

Photos by Miss Jo. The long red chiles, top, are from SF’s Alemany Market. The pasillas and jalapeños were grown by Eatwell Farms, the two Js’ CSA.


RECIPE FOR ONE DOZEN GARNACHAS:

MEAT: In a saucepan, cover two cups thinly sliced chicken, pork or beef with water. Add one medium chopped white onion, four garlic cloves, pinch of salt and cup of cilantro, coarsely chopped. Cook covered on low for 50 minutes (30 minutes if meat is already cooked.) The seasoned meat should fall apart when done.

TORTILLAS: Divide the tortilla masa into 12 small, plum-size balls and cover with a dish cloth. In a tortilla press, between plastic wrap, press each ball into a thick, 3-inch circle. Cook one at a time on dry griddle or cast iron pan and set aside.

SAUCE: Remove seeds and veins and coarsely chop two red chile peppers and four pasilla peppers. Soak for 15 minutes in a food processor with 1-1/2 cups chicken broth. To mixture, add 12 ounces sliced tomatoes that have been cooked 10 minutes in another 1 cup of broth. (Set that cup of broth aside. ) Zoom pepper-tomato mixture in food processor and add to saucepan where four cloves of chopped garlic have been sauteed in a couple tbsps. canola or olive oil. Add the rest of the broth. Cook down or add more broth in order to achieve relatively chunky sauce.

CHILITO: Make at least an hour ahead of time for flavors to mix. Combine 3 cups shredded cabbage; 2 pasilla peppers, chopped; 1 shaved large carrot; 4 fresh jalapeños chopped into circles with seeds and veins; 3 garlic cloves chopped; 1/4 medium white onion thinly sliced; 1 tbsp. dried oregano; 1/2-cup chopped cilantro; 1/3 cup balsamic or fruity vinegar; 1/4 cup lime juice. Pinch of salt. Refrigerate.

WHAT TO DO: Place already cooked 3-inch tortillas in a quarter-inch of simmering canola oil. Add a spoonful of meat, then sauce. Fry the garnachas until the tortillas get a little crisp. Remove to a platter and finely grate queso añejo or Romano over all. Crown with a helping of chilito,