Sopes Sencillos de Asiento
La Cena y Antojitos (Late-Night Bites & The Art of the Leftover)
Sopes are the undisputed champions of the Mexican weeknight—the ultimate canvas for the art of the leftover. To make one that actually tastes like you're standing in a bustling cenaduría in Sinaloa, you need a secret weapon: asiento, the deeply savory, roasted pork sediment found at the bottom of the carnitas pot. Since you aren't rendering ten pounds of pork in an Ohio suburb on a Tuesday night, we rely on a brilliant grandmother's hack of blending quality lard with crushed pork rinds. It's simple, honest, hands-on cooking that transforms yesterday’s shredded chicken or beef roast into an absolute masterpiece.
Before you start
Crush the chicharrones.
Place the pork rinds in a sealed zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy skillet until they resemble coarse, gritty sand.
Prep your plastic press.
Cut the zip top and side seams off a standard one-gallon Ziploc bag to create a non-stick folder for pressing the masa without it sticking.
Ingredients
- pork rinds1/2 cup
- pork lard4 tbsp
- masa harina2 cup
- all-purpose flour1 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- warm water1 1/2 cup
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- refried beans1 cup
- leftover cooked meat1 1/2 cup
- iceberg lettuce2 cup
- queso fresco1/2 cup
- Mexican crema1/2 cup
- salsa1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Synthesize the faux-siento.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the lard in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the crushed pork rinds and gently sizzle for a few minutes until deeply fragrant and slightly darkened, then remove from heat.
- 02
Hydrate the dry masa.
In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina, all-purpose flour, and salt.
- 03
Cut in the fat.
Work the remaining 1 tablespoon of room-temperature lard into the dry ingredients using your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- 04
Knead in the water.
Gradually stream in the warm water while kneading with your hands until the dough feels like soft clay—pliable and moist, but not sticky.
- 05
Press the sopes.
Roll the masa into golf-ball-sized spheres, place each between two sheets of cut plastic, and press gently with a heavy dish to form thick, quarter-inch discs.
- 06
Pre-cook the discs.
Lay the masa discs onto a hot, dry cast-iron skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque and slightly speckled, then transfer to a towel.
- 07
Pellizcar (The Pinch).
While the discs are still hot and pliable, use your thumb and index finger to pinch the outer edge into a raised rim, creating a shallow little boat.
- 08
Fry and assemble.
Return the skillet to medium heat with a light film of vegetable oil, smear a half-teaspoon of your faux-siento inside each sope, and fry until the bottom is deep golden crisp.
- 09
Top and serve.
Load the hot sopes with a spoonful of warm beans and your leftover meat, then top immediately with shredded lettuce, crema, crumbled cheese, and salsa.
Notes
Protect your masa.
Keep the dough covered with a damp kitchen towel while you work to prevent it from drying out; if it cracks when pinched, return it to the bowl and knead in another tablespoon of warm water.
The Northern Trick.
The small addition of all-purpose flour provides just enough elasticity to prevent the edges from cracking when you pinch the hot dough.
From Cook Mexican in America.