Queso de Cabra Envuelto en Hoja Santa con Salsa de Chile Meco
Queso de Cabra Envuelto en Hoja Santa con Salsa de Chile Meco
La Base de Todo (Salsas, Beans, and Foundations)
The hoja santa leaf is a built-in steamer. While the technique originated at Los Danzantes in the mid-nineties, the mechanics remain straightforward: a blistering, herbaceous leaf yielding to molten threads of Oaxaca and goat cheese, swimming in a tomatillo salsa driven entirely by chile meco. Finding fresh leaves in a Midwestern suburb is a tall order, but this adaptation secures that deep, earthy anise and smoke without sending you on a wild goose chase on a Tuesday night—just drop the cheese into a hot cast-iron skillet, wait until the leaf blisters, and you are exactly ten minutes away.
Ingredients
- dried chiles mecos or chipotle moritas2
- tomatillos1 lb
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic2 large cloves
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- smoked sea salt or liquid smoke1/4 tsp
- hoja santa or Swiss chard leaves4 large
- fennel fronds or fresh tarragon2 tbsp
- fresh basil2 tbsp
- Oaxaca cheese or low-moisture mozzarella1 1/2 cup
- plain goat cheese1/2 cup
- olive oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Boil the dried chiles in a medium pot of water until softened and pliable, about 15 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chiles to a blender. If you are sensitive to heat, scrape out the seeds before blending.
- 02
In the same pot of boiling water, add the tomatillos, onion, and garlic.
Boil for 5 to 7 minutes until the tomatillos shift to a pale olive green and become soft, being careful not to let them burst. Transfer them to the blender with the chiles.
- 03
Add the kosher salt and smoked sea salt to the blender and puree until smooth.
Heat a splash of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, pour in the salsa, and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid and cook out the raw bite of the onion. Keep warm.
- 04
Briefly blanch the leaves in simmering water for three seconds, then plunge into ice water and pat completely dry.
If using hoja santa, first shave down the thick central vein with a paring knife. If using Swiss chard, lay the dry leaves flat and sprinkle the insides with the chopped fennel and basil to recreate the signature anise aroma of the authentic dish.
- 05
Toss the stringed Oaxaca cheese and crumbled goat cheese together, then divide into four equal portions.
Place a portion in the center of each leaf and fold the sides, top, and bottom over the cheese to create a neat, secure square packet.
- 06
Heat a cast-iron skillet or comal over medium heat with the olive oil and place the cheese packets folded-side down.
Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaf slightly blisters and browns, then flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese inside is gloriously molten. Swiss chard will char faster than hoja santa, so watch closely.
- 07
Spoon a generous pool of the warm, smoky salsa onto a plate and place the blistered cheese packet directly on top.
Serve immediately with warm, fresh corn tortillas.
Notes
The salsa de chile meco can be made up to five days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Having this salsa pre-made reduces the active weeknight cooking time to less than ten minutes.
Working with Oaxaca cheese.
Always pull the cheese apart into thin strings rather than chopping it with a knife. This creates more surface area and allows the goat cheese to evenly distribute among the strings, resulting in a cohesive, stretchy bite.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.