Vampiros Estilo Sinaloa
Vampiros Estilo Sinaloa·(vam-pee-ros es-tee-lo see-nah-lo-ah)
Chapter 3 — Tacos: The Architecture of Assembly
If you want to know if a taquero really knows what they are doing, order a vampiro. Originating in the coastal state of Sinaloa and perfected under the neon lights of Los Angeles strip-malls, the vampiro is a masterclass in architectural engineering—the beautiful, three-way lovechild of a taco, a tostada, and a quesadilla. The name likely comes from the way the corn tortilla curls up like a bat's wing on the hot comal as it slowly dehydrates into a rigid, crackly base. Blanket it in melting cheese, pile it high with chopped carne asada, and finish it with the holy trinity of Sinaloan garnishes: shaved cabbage, red onion, and a thick smear of rustic guacamole. When you pull this assembly off, you will stand at your kitchen counter, take a bite, and know exactly why people line up in parking lots at midnight to eat them.
Before you start
Prepare the carne asada using the recipe from Chapter 2.
The overnight citrus marinade and hard char on a carbon-steel skillet are mandatory for authentic flavor, so cook it well, slice it thin across the grain, and chop it into small uniform cubes.
Crush the roasted salsa in a molcajete.
Do not blitz your salsa in a blender because pressing it through basalt stone extracts the aromatic oils without over-hydrating the mixture, allowing it to sit on the vampiro without soaking through.
Ingredients
- corn tortillas8 med
- Queso Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese2 1/2 cup
- carne asada1 1/2 lb
- green cabbage1 cup
- red onion1/2 cup
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
- thick guacamole1 cup
- Salsa Tatemada1 cup
- lime1 med
Method
- 01
Establish your mise en place.
Set up bowls of shredded cheese, shaved cabbage, diced red onion, cilantro, thick guacamole, and molcajete salsa lining the counter while keeping your cooked meat warm in a skillet.
- 02
Dehydrate the tortillas on a dry comal.
Heat a well-seasoned carbon-steel skillet or cast-iron griddle over medium heat and lay the tortillas flat, flipping every two minutes for about six to eight minutes until the moisture evaporates and the edges curl.
- 03
Melt the cheese directly onto the rigid tortillas.
Drop a generous quarter cup of shredded cheese onto the center of each crackly tortilla and let it bubble for sixty to ninety seconds until the edges touching the hot metal caramelize into a crispy lace.
- 04
Load the payload of chopped meat.
Transfer the cheese-fused tortillas to serving plates and immediately spoon a heavy half cup of hot carne asada onto the molten cheese to act as an edible mortar.
- 05
Garnish the structure.
Crown the meat with a heavy pinch of shaved cabbage, a sprinkle of red onion and cilantro, a dollop of thick guacamole, and a spoonful of chunky salsa tatemada.
- 06
Serve immediately.
Hand them out with cold glasses of horchata and lime wedges, because a properly built vampiro will shatter perfectly when you bite into it.
Notes
Do not buy pre-shredded cheese.
Pre-shredded bags are coated in anti-caking agents that inhibit the formation of the caramelized crust required at the edges of the vampiro.
Never substitute iceberg lettuce for the cabbage.
Cabbage provides a sturdy crunch that holds up to the heat of the meat and is an absolute non-negotiable for the authentic Sinaloa style.
Use lard for your side dishes.
If you are serving refried beans with these vampiros you must use manteca; do not use canola oil or vegetable shortening if you want the true taqueria flavor profile.