Tags
Adobo, Aioli, Cook, Garlic, lisztomania, Mexican cuisine, phoenix, pickling, sandwich, torta, Vinegar
I take a lot of pride in making the perfect sandwich. I enjoy making them and I’m good at it. Call me a stereotypical woman (I’m also a terrible driver…) but I don’t care. I recently made a really, really, damn good sandwich. We’ll go ahead and call it a torta. It sounds fancier. Also, it leaned heavily on Mexican influences. This torta was the love child of a spontaneous weekend. It began with an impromptu trip to Huntington Beach for this snowboard gear product launch party. I dabble in snowboarding and partying, so this was a nice combo. Anyways, after this I found myself in downtown LA at…gasp…USC. I know I’m supposed to reject all things Trojan in the name of the ancient, deeply rooted UCLA-USC rivalry, but really, I have no problem with, and really quite enjoy, fraternizing with the supposed enemy. And I’m also incredibly envious of the abundance of delicious, cheap, magical taquerias and panederias oh so conveniently located around USC’s campus. Westwood is great, but it contains a massive void that can only be filled by Mexican food. After spending an interesting night at SC, I stopped by a Mexican bakery for some breakfast before rolling home. Do you ever experience that feeling of having no idea what you want, getting something, and realizing it was exactly what you wanted? No? Well it happens to me frequently. I walked into this bakery and was instantly overwhelmed by the plethora of delicious choices. Do I want a pastry? Or a taco? I decided on something obscure and unidentified. On the outside, it was a beautiful, glossy, golden pastry crust. It appeared to have a filling. The lady at the counter heated it up for me, and I excitedly bit into it, realizing that I had discovered what I can only describe as a Hot Pocket on crack. It was wonderful. Ham, jalapenos, cream cheese, and possibly other things oozed out of the delicate pastry, and I was in heaven. I finished it way too quickly and wished I could rewind and eat it again. Before leaving, I bought a couple of bread rolls to snack on later. These were the beginnings of my torta. I contemplated all day long, trying to decide exactly how to approach my perfect sandwich. I knew it had to be chicken, since that’s what was in my kitchen at the time. I also had a craving for something pickled, so I knew that would be involved. I found a can of chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, and it all came together in my head instantly, like a brilliant flash of delicious lighting. So here you go, my recipe for…