Gringas, Tacos With Cheese

Every mexican has his or her own favorite and trusted taco stand or taqueria, the one he/she has been going since a kid and has become a classic among family and friends.

The “gringa” is one of the most wanted specialties at any taqueria, and the history of the name comes from a small taqueria in Mexico City, where an American girl (aka gringa) wanted to have her tacos in a whiter tortilla and full of cheese. Everyone began to ask for the same dish, until they put the name “gringa” on that demanded item.

It is also related to the popular perception in Mexico that Americans or gringos, are all white people and the gringa is made with flour (and white) tortillas.  I personally can’t resist having one — or maybe two gringas every time I am having tacos! Enjoy!

Yields: 10 portions

Preparation time: 1.5 hrs.

Cooking Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2-ounce package achiote paste
• 3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, plus 4 tablespoons of the canning sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil, plus a little more for the onion and pineapple
• 1 1/2 pounds thin-sliced pork shoulder (1/4-inch-thick slices are ideal)
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 of a medium pineapple, sliced
• 20 warm flour tortillas
• 3 cups of shredded oaxaca cheese or monterey jack
• salsa verde or salsa roja

Directions:  

1. To marinate the meat:  In a blender, combine the achiote paste, chiles, canning sauce, oil  and  3/4 cup water.  Blend until smooth.  Use 1/3 of the marinade to smear over both sides of each piece of meat (refrigerate the rest of the marinade to use on other meat or fish).  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. To cook the meat, you can grill it over very hot charcoal or use a grilling pan on the stove. Over high heat, cook the meat for about one minute per side (until you can see brown grill marks) and set aside.  Cut into 1/4- to ½ inch pieces or slices and reserve.
3. On the same grill, put the pineapple slices until you see the grill marks. Set aside.
4. To build the “gringas”: Put some sliced meat on a flour tortilla and pour a handful of shredded cheese over it. Cover with another flour tortilla and cook on the grill or a pan, over medium heat, for about a minute per side or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown. Set aside.
5. To serve, cut each piece into half and cover with a few slices of pineapple, some chopped cilantro and onion. You can always add green or red salsa.