Pambazzo De Chorizo (Salsa-Dunked Chorizo Sandwiches)
1
- Prep Time25 min
- Total Time55 min
- MakesServes 4
Recipe by Chantal Braganza; produced by Sun Ngo; photography by Christie Vuong; food styling by Ashley Denton; prop styling by Nicole Billark.
This Mexican street-lunch staple makes great use of day-old bread.
Salsa
3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 tomato, cut into quarters
½ white onion, cut into 4 pieces
2 to 3 garlic cloves, smashed
4 dried guajillo chilies, stem and seeds removed (see tip)
1 dried pasilla chili, stem and seeds removed (see tip)
½ cube chicken bouillon
Filling
3 ½ tsp salt, divided
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
454 g chorizo sausage (about 3 links), casings removed (see tip)
To serve
4 day-old bolillos or Italian sandwich rolls (see tip)
Shredded lettuce
Thinly sliced serrano or jalapeno peppers (optional)
Thinly sliced radishes
¾ cup salsa verde (see tip)
¾ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
¾ cup crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
Salsa: Heat a large frying pan over high. Add 1 tsp oil, then tomato, onion and garlic. Cook until aromatic and slightly browned, 2 to 3 min. Add guajillo and pasilla chilies. Cook until chilies are fragrant, about 1 min per side (take care not to burn them).
Transfer fried ingredients, along with bouillon, into a medium saucepan set over medium-high. Pour in enough water just to cover ingredients, about 1 cup. Gently boil until ingredients are soft and cooked through, 10 to 12 min. Set aside to cool slightly, then blend in a high-powered blender with remaining 2 tsp oil until thick and smooth. Set aside.
Filling: Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add 3 tsp salt, then potatoes. Cook until almost fork tender, 10 to 12 min. Drain, then set aside.
Wipe frying pan clean, then set over medium. Crumble sausage into pan. Using a wooden spoon, break up into small pieces. Cook until fat renders and no pink remains, 4 to 5 min. Add potatoes and stir to combine. Crush some pieces of potato with the back of the wooden spoon to release starches. Add remaining 1/2 tsp salt and a splash of water to help mixture come together into a scoopable filling. Set aside.
Rolls: Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat broiler to 500F. Slice rolls lengthwise, keeping one side intact as a hinge. Quickly dip only the exterior crust of the rolls into the reserved salsa, just to moisten the crust. (Do not soak; the interior of the bread should remain dry.) Open rolls like a book, then arrange, cut-side down, on a large baking sheet. Broil until crust is slightly dried, 3 to 4 min. (Alternatively, you can fry each roll, crust-side down, in a frying pan with 3 to 4 tbsp oil.)
Assembly: Divide potato-chorizo filling between rolls, then dress with shredded lettuce, cabbage, peppers and sliced radishes. Use a spoon to drizzle salsa verde and crema overtop. Sprinkle with queso fresco and serve immediately.
Kitchen tips
- Dried guajillo and pasilla chilies can be found in any Latin American grocery store, or online.
- Bolillos are Mexican-style sandwich rolls that can be found in many Latin American bakeries. Any oval-shaped rolls will do, but make sure they’re about a day old or slightly toasted in the oven beforehand; they’ll hold up better to dipping and broiling.
- Tomatillo-based salsa verde can be found in the Latin American aisle of most grocery stores. We love La Costena.
- Be sure to use fresh Mexican-style chorizo, not the dried-and-cured kind.
This recipe is part of a feature on summer sandwiches.
Chantal Braganza is a writer and editor living in Toronto. She is deputy editor, food at Chatelaine, a cookbook nerd, lover of vintage dish ware, and currently training for yoga teacher certification. Her first book, Story of Your Mother, is out with Strange Light Press.
