In Puebla, tortas are a very popular street food. Traditionally, these are made with thinly-pounded pork that is breaded and fried. This version uses fried shrimp instead of the traditional pork.
Brought to you by home chef Elizabeth Van Orden
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- Colossal Naked Shrimp
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ cups panko
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 6 taleras, bolillos, or French rolls
- 2 avocados, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 12 oz. Oaxaca cheese or 12 sticks of string cheese, pulled apart
- 1 cup of crema or sour cream
- 1-2 cans of chiles en adobo to taste
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch of cilantro, leaves picked
- Vegetable oil
Instructions:
- Split and lightly toast rolls on a hot pan or griddle.
- Mince chiles en adobo and mix with crema or sour cream. Add a dash of salt and lime to taste to complete the crema/chipotle sauce.
- Fully dry shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the shrimp in flour, dip in egg, then fully coat in panko. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat a fry pan over medium heat with about one cup of oil, deep enough to fry the shrimp, about half the thickness of the shrimp.
- Once the pan is hot (about 375°), test with a little piece of bread to make sure the oil is hot enough to fry, but not burn the bread in 2 minutes. Pan fry the shrimp about 2 minute on each side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 135° F and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate – they will continue to cook to 140° F even after removing them from the oil.
- Assemble the tortas: on the bottom bun, lay down about 5-6 shrimp per bun in an interlocking “C” pattern, top with sliced avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, and cheese. Smear the top bun with the crema/chipotle sauce.
