Charritos Preparados al Estilo Godínez
Tardeando: The Cantina Botana Spread
If you want to know how modern Mexicans actually snack when they are off the clock, look to the Godínez. It is affectionate slang for the office worker who has perfected the art of the convenience store feast between long shifts and brutal commutes. Down in the Yucatán, this means tearing open a bag of salty charritos right at the desk and dumping in supermarket ham, cheap mild cheese, and canned jalapeños. There is no cooking here, just one brilliant, essential trick: using the sharp, vinegary jalapeño pickling liquid to slightly soften the chips and bind this beautiful, messy botana together.
Ingredients
- charritos Yucatecos or wheat crisps10 oz
- thick cut deli ham8 oz
- mild cheddar cheese8 oz
- canned pickled jalapeños en escabeche7 oz
Method
- 01
Prepare your serving vessel.
If you want to do this exactly like they do on a construction site or in a Mérida cubicle, lay the bag of charritos flat and use scissors to cut a large window into the top, using the bag itself as the bowl. Otherwise, dump the entire bag into a wide mixing bowl.
- 02
Add the meat and cheese.
Scatter the cubed ham and cheddar uniformly over the dry charritos.
- 03
Dress with the jalapeños and their pickling liquid.
Open the can of jalapeños and spoon the peppers, carrots, and onions right over the top. The crucial, non-negotiable trick here is the liquid: pour about half of the vinegary broth directly from the can over the mix to act as a dressing.
- 04
Toss quickly and serve immediately.
Using a large spoon, or your hands if we are being honest, gently toss everything together until the charritos are lightly coated in the vinegar. Let it sit for exactly one minute so the crunch yields just slightly to the acid, then serve with cold beers.
Notes
Keep simple things simple.
Resist the urge to add fancy vinaigrettes, artisanal cheeses, or expensive cured meats. The soul of this dish relies entirely on the humble beauty of supermarket ham, a block of mild cheddar, and the sharp bite of canned jalapeños.
Sourcing the chips.
Authentic charritos are incredibly crunchy, hollow squares of puffed wheat or corn. If your local Hispanic grocer does not carry Yucatecan brands like La Lupita, any crunchy wheat chicharrón, often sold as duritos, will do the job perfectly.