Chocolate Tacos from ‘Tacos’
This week, we’re spotlighting recipes from Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman (Clarkson Potter). Stupak is the owner of Empellón Cocina, Empellón Taqueria, and Empellón al Pastor in New York City. Try making the recipes at home and let us know what you think!
Photograph: Evan Sung
By Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman
Chocolate Tacos
Makes 12 tacos
It’s impossible to talk about Mexican cuisine without considering the influence of Spain. Foods that are fundamental to the culture — things like rice and pork — got to Mexico in the hulls of sixteenth-century conquistador ships. As a cook, I find it interesting to continue to mash up culinary concepts from both countries, even if they aren’t the result of centuries of colonization and indigenous fusion. For this sweet taco, I co-opted pan con chocolate, a common after-school snack in Spain: It’s simply a piece of lush couverture (I like Mast Brothers, produced here in New York City) melted on a tortilla instead of toast, with sea salt, chile powder, and cinnamon to evoke the spiced flavor of Mexican chocolate. Call it a Choco Taco, if you absolutely must.
FOR THE FILLING
1 pasilla chile
One 2-inch stick of canela (Mexican cinnamon)
8 ounces dark chocolate
TO ASSEMBLE THE TACOS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Maldon or flaky salt, as needed
1 recipe Corn or Flour Tortillas
MAKE THE FILLING: Remove the stem from the pasilla chile and tear the chile open. Shake out the seeds, and remove and discard the veins.
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chile and toast, turning it from time to time, until you see the first wisp of smoke, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, transfer to a spice grinder, and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl.
Reheat the skillet over medium heat. Toast the canela briefly, shaking the pan, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Remove the canela from the heat, transfer it to the spice grinder, and grind it to a fine powder.
Break the chocolate into rough 1-inch pieces.
Make one batch of tortillas and hold them warm.
ASSEMBLE THE TACOS: Lay out the warm tortillas on serving plates. Immediately divide the broken chocolate among the tortillas and top with the olive oil. Season with Maldon salt and finish with the ground chile and canela.
Reprinted with permission from Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman (Clarkson Potter).
More Mexican recipes:
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe from ‘The Best Mexican Recipes’
Braised Mexican Chicken from Goop
Mexican Quinoa Bowl from Deliciously Ella
