Cooking With Papalo: Make Pork And Papalo Tortas On Cemita Rolls

If you’re looking to add a new flavor to your home cooking, or if you like to read new recipes on the internet while waiting for your Cup Noodles to microwave, you might want to try papalo - a citrusy herb perfect for salsas, salads and Mexican-inspired dishes. It’s tasty and good for you:

And if you don’t like cilantro, papalo is distinct enough to make it an appropriate substitute for the offending herb. Plus there are some health benefits to using papalo: It is believed to ameliorate high blood pressure, certain infections and stomach disorders.

Some tips for adding papalo to a dish without embarrassing yourself:

As flavor fizzles out quickly, season foods with the herb toward the very end of the cooking process, or as close to serving time as possible. The herb’s flavor peters out when denatured by heat or tomato acid (as found in a salsa.)

“Denatured.” Ay, aren’t we fancy in our little chef hats. If you want further excuse to say “papalo” over and over, here’s a recipe you might want to -make for us- try:

For chile-marinated pork

6 dried guajillo chiles (1 1/2 oz)

1 dried ancho chile (1/2 oz)

4 thin (1/2-inch) rib pork chops (1 lb total), bones discarded

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 whole clove

1 (1/2- by 1/4-inch) piece cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 large garlic cloves, quartered

1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For sandwiches

4 Mexican cemita rolls or 8 sesame seed hamburger buns

2 ripe California avocados

1/2 cup fresh papalo leaves

6 oz Oaxacan string cheese or other string cheese, finely shredded with your fingers (1 1/2 cups)

4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo (optional), finely chopped

1/2 large white onion, thinly sliced

1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced crosswise

God. We know we’d eat the all the cheese and avocado before even starting to cook. Anyway, preparation:

Prepare chiles and pork:

Discard chile stems and cut guajillo and ancho chiles open lengthwise with kitchen shears. Discard seeds and ribs.

Heat a dry 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle over moderate heat until hot, then toast chiles, a few at a time, turning and pressing down with tongs, until softened and fragrant, about 10 seconds per side.

Transfer chiles to a bowl, then cover with hot water and soak until softened, about 20 minutes.

Note: If you’re us, this is roughly the point where you give up and order delivery.

Flatten pork while chiles soak:

Trim fat and sinews from pork and pound between 2 sheets of wax paper with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until meat is about 1/8 inch thick.

Marinate pork:

Heat skillet over low heat until hot then toast cumin, peppercorns, clove, and cinnamon, stirring constantly, until fragrant and cumin is a shade darker, about 1 minute. Transfer hot spices to a blender and add vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and soaked chiles with about 1/3 cup soaking water, then blend until smooth. Transfer half of chile paste to an airtight container and chill or freeze for another use, then put remainder in a small bowl.

And this is the point where you’re too lazy to look up a delivery place and so resort to eating ice cream from the carton.

Spread a thin layer of chile paste in middle of a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all of meat and put 1 pork chop over paste. Spread a thin layer of chile paste on top, then continue layering meat, spreading each piece with chile paste. Wrap stacked pork in plastic wrap and marinate, chilled, at least 2 hours.

Cook pork and assemble sandwiches:

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Season pork chops with salt and sauté, in batches, adding more oil as necessary, until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer chops as cooked to a sheet of foil and keep warm wrapped in foil.

Preheat broiler. Cut rolls in half horizontally and arrange, cut sides up, on a large baking sheet. Broil buns about 6 inches from heat until golden, about 1 minute.

Halve, pit, and lightly mash avocados in peel with a fork, then spread thickly on cut sides of rolls. Season avocado with salt, then top with papalo. Make sandwiches with pork, cheese, chipotles (if using), onion, and tomato, pressing sandwiches together.

Serve, then devour! Or take a nap because, hell damn, that’s a lot of preparation.

Fragrant herb papalo a substitute for cilantro [Staten Island Live]
Chile-Marinated Pork Sandwiches On Cemita Roll [Epicurious]