CREPAS DE CUITLACOCHE — The Kitchen Scholar

Jul 26

Jul 26 CREPAS DE CUITLACOCHE

The Kitchen Scholar

Eggs and Dairy

SOURCE: DIANA KENNEDY. THE ART OF MEXICAN COOKING: TRADITIONAL MEXICAN COOKING FOR AFICIONADOS.

Ingredients

2 pounds/900 grams freshly ground pork

9 ounces/250 grams ground pork fat

1/2 cup/120 mL pineapple vinegar

1/2 cup/120 mL distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup/35 grams coarsely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon/1 gram dried Mexican oregano

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

10 black peppercorns

4 teaspoons/20 grams sea salt

1/4 teaspoon/0.3 grams cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon/0.3 grams coriander seeds

2 Poblano chiles, deveined and seeded

1 cup/ grams coarsely chopped cilantro, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

1 cup/ grams coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

2 cups/300 grams coarsely chopped Swiss chard leaves

Narrow pork casings with a length of 7 feet/2.1. meters, cleaned in acidulated water, cut into 3 equal lengths, soaked in water and drained thoroughly

Lard to store the chorizo

Specific Equipment

Large mixing bowl, either glass, enamel or stainless

Food processor OR blender

Plastic wrap

Funnel

OPTIONAL: Dowel large enough to the aperture of the funnel

Kitchen twine or strips of dried corn husk

Makes 16

Instructions

1. Combine the ground pork and fat in a large mixing bowl until well-blended.

2. Pour 1/4 cup/60 mL pineapple vinegar and 1/4 cup/60 mL distilled white vinegar into the food processor bowl or blender jar. Add the garlic, Mexican oregano, bay leaf, clove, peppercorns, salt, cumin, and coriander seeds and purée the ingredients for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture makes a fine paste.

3. Pour 1/4 cup/60 mL pineapple vinegar and 1/4 cup/60 mL distilled white vinegar and add the Poblano chiles into the food processor. Purée for 1 to 2 minutes with several pulses of the food processor or blender or until the chiles are finely minced. Add the cilantro, parsley, and Swiss chard gradually and purée for 4 to 5 minutes or until the purée is smooth and well-blended

4. Pour the purée into the meat and mix everything with hands until the sausage mixture is well-blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, mixing the chorizo occasionally.

5. Tie a firm double knot at one end of each length of sausage casing. Insert funnel outlet into the open end of a sausage casing. Invert the funnel and press the tied end of the casing to push out any residual air. Fill the funnel with the chorizo and push the mixture down either with fingers or a dowel that fits the funnel aperture to firmly stuff the casing. Run the entire length of the sausage casing by hand to smooth the surface and distribute the chorizo mixture evenly. Leave a short allowance unstuffed at the open end of the casing and tie a firm double knot to seal the chorizo. Tie the chorizo into 3 1/2-inch/8.9-cm-long links with a kitchen twine or strings of dried corn husk. Repeat for the two other sausage casings.

6. Hang the chorizo links in a cool and airy place and dry for 2 to 3 days or until the chorizo has dried and most of the vinegar have drained out. Smear the chorizo lightly with lard and freeze to store.