Crispy Beef Sopes with Chorizo & Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups masa harina (corn flour for tortillas)
• 1.25 cups warm water
• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 oz chorizo, casing removed
• 1 cup white cheddar or Oaxaca cheese, shredded
• 2 cups fresh lettuce, thinly sliced
• ½ cup crema (Mexican sour cream) or sour cream
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 2 cups masa harina into a medium bowl and add 1.25 cups warm water slowly, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together—it should feel like soft play-dough, slightly moist but not sticky.

2. 2

   Cover the masa dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes so the flour absorbs all the water and the dough becomes easier to shape.

3. 3

   Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 lb ground beef and 4 oz chorizo (casing removed). Break apart the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, stirring every 10 seconds, until it's no longer pink and the fat has rendered, about 5–6 minutes.

4. 4

   Drain excess fat from the meat by tilting the skillet and pushing the meat to one side, then spoon out the pooled grease with a paper towel into the trash—leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan for flavor.

5. 5

   Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper over the cooked beef and chorizo, stir to combine, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

6. 6

   Pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece of masa dough (about 2 tablespoons) and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball, then place it on a clean counter or cutting board.

7. 7

   Press the masa ball flat with the heel of your hand to create a disk about 3 inches wide and 0.25 inches thick, then use your thumbs to pinch up the outer edge all the way around, creating a shallow cup shape with a 0.5-inch tall rim (like a tiny pizza crust).

8. 8

   Repeat steps 6–7 with the remaining masa dough until you have 8 sopes total—arrange them on a plate as you form them.

9. 9

   Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

10. 10

    Carefully place 4 sopes into the hot oil—they should sizzle immediately—and fry without moving them for 2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, like a fried tortilla.

11. 11

    Use a slotted spatula to flip each sope and fry the other side for 1.5 minutes until golden, then remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.

12. 12

    Repeat steps 10–11 with the remaining 4 sopes, using the same oil.

13. 13

    Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cooled beef-chorizo mixture into the center cup of each warm sope, leaving a small border around the rim visible.

14. 14

    Sprinkle 2 tablespoons shredded cheese evenly over the meat filling on each sope, covering the top.

15. 15

    Place the cheese-topped sopes back into the warm (but not hot) skillet off the heat for 30 seconds to melt the cheese slightly, then transfer to a serving platter.

16. 16

    Top each sope with a small handful of sliced lettuce placed in a mound in the center of the cheese.

17. 17

    Drizzle 1 tablespoon crema in a thin zigzag pattern across the lettuce and cheese on each sope.

Tools you’ll need

• medium mixing bowl
• clean kitchen towel
• large skillet (12-inch)
• wooden spoon
• paper towels
• small bowl
• cutting board or clean counter
• slotted spatula
• serving platter

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