Recipes

Veggie Pupusas with Curtido and Death Star Salsa
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ pound mushrooms, washed, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt, as needed
- ½ pound spinach, roughly chopped
- 1½ pounds prepared finely ground corn masa dough*
- 1 pound quesillo or Oaxaca cheese, shredded
- Curtido, recipe follows
- Death Star salsa, recipe follows
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan and lightly saute the garlic, mushrooms, season with some of the salt and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and saute 2 more minutes until just wilted. Combine with the asparagus; cool.
Using your hands, mix the masa, cheese and 1 teaspoon salt into the vegetable mixture to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Form 4-ounce balls.
Heat griddle or non-stick saute pan to a medium-high heat with olive oil. Flatten each ball into a pancake shape and place onto pan. Once cheese begins bubbling and turns a light golden brown, flip and cook through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes each side. Serve with the curtido and Death Star-infused salsa. Makes 6 servings. THC depends on the amount of salsa served.
To make the curtido: Combine ¼ head thinly sliced red cabbage with ½ pound shredded carrots in a large bowl. Bring to a boil 1 cup white vinegar with 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of the following: salt, ground coriander, dried oregano and chili flakes and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir and pour the pickle over the cabbage/carrot mixture along with ½ pound peeled, cooked and sliced beets. Allow to pickle for a few hours or overnight.
To make the salsa: Char under the broiler or on a grill 4 halved Roma tomatoes, 1 serrano chili, 1 jalapeno chili and 1 quartered white onion. Transfer to a pot and add ¼ cup olive oil, 2 roasted garlic cloves, 2 chipotles in adobo, ½ teaspoon sugar or agave, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground coriander and ½ gram Death Star strain in a sachet. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add a small amount of water if mixture becomes too thick. Remove the cannabis sachet, cool and blend. The THC, depending on the lab-tested flower, will be 100 to 150 mg.
*Purchase from a Mexican grocer or a local tortilleria.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Manny Mendoza of Herbal Notes.