Food Recipes Dinner Vegetarian Main Course Entomatadas 5.0 (1) 1 Review Similar to enchiladas, entomatadas are milder, more tomatoey, and just as delicious. By Edgar Rico Edgar Rico Edgar is a James Beard Award winner for Emerging Chef, a TIME 100 recipient, a Food & Wine Best New Chef, winner of Food & Wine Best New Restaurant, a Culinary Corps Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, and proud World Central Kitchen member. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 16, 2024 Tested by Jasmine Smith Tested by Jasmine Smith Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester at Dotdash Meredith Corporation. In addition to her work in test kitchens, Jasmine is a culinary producer for a variety of food festivals. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 55 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe 2023 F&W Best New Chef Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria in Austin makes these savory entomatadas every Día de Muertos in honor of his late grandmothers, Martha Vega and Josefina. Fragrant corn tortillas are fried until they’re crispy enough to stand up to a dip in the tomato sauce but still pliable enough to fill with queso fresco and Cotija cheeses. “It’s just tortillas, salsa, and cheese,” says Rico. “How is this hitting so much?” This recipe is a family heirloom of sorts, inherited from Rico’s mother; his aunt Nina; and their mother, Martha, each successive generation adding their own touch to the recipe. Frequently Asked Questions What is queso fresco? Queso fresco, or “fresh cheese,” is a style of soft, unripened fresh cheese made with cow milk, goat milk, or a combination of the two. It’s sold in small rectangular pieces similar in size to adobo bricks, which is why they’re also known as adobero. Queso fresco hails from Jalisco in western Mexico. It has a mild, slightly tangy flavor and crumbles and shreds easily, the perfect topping for Beef and Cheese Enchiladas or sweet-tangy Grilled Corn. What is Cotija cheese? Cotija is a cow-milk cheese with a firm texture originally from Cotija, a municipality in the state of Michoacán in western Mexico. Its crumbly texture and salty flavor are likened to feta, making it the preferred topping for a Blistered Summer Squash Salad, Chilaquiles, in sweet-salty Corn Salad, or Spicy Black Bean Dip. 7 Mexican Cheeses You Should Know Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen To prevent tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in oil until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce and also adds a little extra flavor. Suggested pairing Pair these satisfying entomatadas with a fresh, apple-scented Australian white, like Yalumba Y Series Chardonnay. Make ahead Salsa can be made one week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3 pounds plum tomatoes (about 16 tomatoes), quartered 1/2 cup chopped white onion (about 1 small onion), plus more thinly sliced for garnish 2 medium serrano chiles (about 1 ounce), seeded if desired 1 medium (1-ounce) jalapeño chile, seeded if desired 2 large garlic cloves, smashed 1/2 tablespoon tomato bouillon granules (such as Knorr) 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 cup water, divided 1 tablespoon lard Canola oil 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1 cup) 4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup) Finely chopped fresh cilantro and finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Directions Stir together tomatoes, onion, serrano chiles, jalapeño chile, garlic, tomato bouillon granules, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium, and cook, stirring occasionally and mashing tomatoes using the back of a wooden spoon, until tomatoes and chiles are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer tomato mixture to a blender; secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Melt lard in a large skillet over medium. Add tomato mixture and remaining 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt. Remove tomato sauce from heat, and set aside. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 inch in a separate large skillet; heat over medium. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, fry over low heat just until pliable, 15 to 20 seconds each. Transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet, and pat dry. Using tongs, dip 1 tortilla into tomato sauce to coat. Transfer to a plate, and fill with 1 tablespoon queso fresco and 1 tablespoon Cotija cheese. Fold tortilla, and drizzle with additional tomato sauce. Repeat process with remaining tortillas. Garnish entomatadas with thinly sliced onions, cilantro, and parsley. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, November 2024 Rate It Print