Crispy Potato Sopes With Goat Cheese And Herb Salad Recipes

CRISPY POTATO SOPES (MASA BOATS) WITH SALSA, GOAT CHEESE, AND HERBS RECIPE RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• The dough for the Sopes: In a medium pan, boil the potatoes in salted water to cover until thoroughly tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and cool. Push the potatoes through a ricer or medium-mesh strainer into a bowl. Scrape the potatoes into a measuring cup. Discard about 1 cup of the potatoes, return 1 cup to the bowl and knead in the masa (fresh or reconstituted) and ¾ teaspoon salt. The dough should be the consistency of soft cookie dough. Forming and baking the sopes: Heat a well-seasoned or nonstick griddle or heavy skillet over medium. Divide the dough into 18 portions, roll into balls and cover with plastic to keep them from drying out. One by one, form the fat little tortillas that will become the sopes: cut two squares of plastic (to be on the safe side, cut them from a food storage bag, the thicker plastic works better). With your hands, gently flatten a ball of dough between the sheets of plastic to about 2 ½ inches in diameter (it should be about 1/4" thick). Peel off the top sheet of plastic. Use your thumb and index finger to push up the dough into a border about ½" high around the edge to form the sope, the little boat. Flip the sope-uncovered side down-onto the fingers of one hand, then gently peel off the second piece of plastic. Now, flip the sope over onto the griddle or skillet, flat side down. After about a minute, when the sope has loosened itself from the cooking surface, remove it from the griddle. This cooking is just to set the bottom surface, not to cook the masa all the way through. While the first sope is cooking, continue shaping and adding others to the griddle or skillet. After cooking, to keep them from puffing oddly during frying, prick the bottoms of each one with a fork, being careful not to go all the way through. Cool, then cover the sopes with plastic to keep them from drying out. Finishing the sopes: In a deep heavy medium skillet or saucepan, heat ½" of oil to 350 degrees (if you do not have a thermometer you can judge the temperature by dipping the side of a sope in the oil-if it sizzles vigorously, it's ready). Stir in the balsamic vinegar (if using) into the salsa and set out the herbs and crumbled cheese. A few at a time, fry the sopes until they are a rich golden brown, about a minute. Drain them upside down on paper towels, then keep them warm in the oven. When all the sopes are done, arrange them on a serving platter. Spoon about ½ Tbs of salsa onto each one, top with herbs and sprinkle generously with cheese.

CRISPY POTATO SOPES WITH GOAT CHEESE AND HERB SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes in salted water to cover until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, and cool. Push potatoes through a sieve into a bowl. Scrape potatoes into a 1-cup measuring cup, and discard the rest. Return potatoes to bowl. Knead in the masa or masa harina. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. Divide the dough into 18 balls slightly larger than golf balls, and cover with plastic to keep from drying out. If the balls crack when you are rolling them, knead a few drops of water into the dough to give them the consistency of a soft cookie dough. Cut two sheets of plastic (preferably from heavy-weight food-storage bags) into 6-inch squares.
• One by one, form the fat little tortillas that will become the sopes: With your hands, gently press out a ball of the dough between the sheets of plastic into a 2 1/2-inch circle (it should be about 1/4 inch thick). Peel off the top sheet. Use your thumb and first finger to pinch up the dough into a border about 1/2 inch high around the edge to form a little boat. Flip the tortilla -- uncovered side down -- onto the fingers of one hand, then gently peel off the second piece of plastic. In one flowing movement, roll the tortilla off your hand and onto the griddle or skillet. After about 50 seconds, when the tortilla has loosened itself from the cooking surface, remove it from the griddle; this is just to set the surface of the tortilla, not cook the masa all the way through. While the first tortilla is cooking, continue pressing out others and adding them to the griddle or skillet. After cooking, pierce the bottoms with a fork, taking care not to poke them all the way through. Slip the cooled sopes into a plastic bag, or cover them to keep from drying out.
• Fill a heavy skillet with 1/2 inch oil; heat oil to 375 degrees. Turn on the oven to its lowest setting, and set out a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain the sopes. Stir the balsamic vinegar into the salsa, and set out the herbs and crumbled cheese. A few at a time, fry the sopes until they are a rich golden brown, 50 to 60 seconds. Drain them upside down on the paper towels. As the sopes are fried, keep them warm in the oven.
• When all of the sopes have been fried, arrange them on a serving platter. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon salsa into each one, top with a tuft of herbs, and sprinkle generously with cheese. Serve immediately.