Rick Martinez's Favorite Recipes from Mexico

For the last few years, Rick Martinez, food writer and host of multiple food shows on YouTube, lived in Mexico, travelling around the country trying different dishes and experimenting with Mexican ingredients in his home kitchen. Now, his new cookbook, called Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico: A Cookbook, summarizes his favorite dishes from his adventures, from Oaxaca, to Sinaloa, to Mexico City. Martinez joins us to discuss Mexican cooking. Cemita Poblana   Fried pork cutlet sandwich topped with strands of queso Oaxaca MAKES 4 CEMITAS   I had walked to the Mercado Municipal La Acocota in Puebla and was looking at ceramics when a crazy thunderstorm started. It shook the building and wouldn’t let up. I had not intended to eat there, but I was trapped. I didn’t want to walk in the rain and there were no taxis nor Ubers nearby.   I saw a woman at a cemita puesto (sandwich food stall) take balls of queso Oaxaca and pull them apart into long, thin threads of cheese—it was like watching someone pull apart a sweater into strands of fiber. Queso Oaxaca is similar in flavor to Monterey Jack with the string-like texture of fresh mozzarella—it is made by pulling the cheese into strands and rolling it up like a ball of yarn. After unraveling it, the vendor took a handful of the cheese strands and used them to top the cemitas before smashing the avocado into the bread and closing the cemita. I was in complete awe. I ordered a sandwich, of course.   This was also my first time tasting pápalo, an herb that has a flavor similar to the combination of cilantro, mint, and basil. It is pretty difficult to find, even in parts of México. So, if you can’t find it, and you probably won’t, just use a combination of herbs to mimic the flavor. But if you do see it, buy it and try it!   4 boneless center-cut pork chops (6 oz/170 g each), excess fat trimmed Morton kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs, at room temperature 3 cups panko Japanese-style bread crumbs or unseasoned bread crumbs ½ cup vegetable oil 2 large avocados, peeled, seeded, and halved 4 cemitas poblanas, teleras, bolillos, or brioche rolls, halved and toasted Chiles Chipotles en Escabeche,or sliced Chiles Jalapeños en Escabeche, plus brine from the jar ½ medium white onion (5.6 oz/160 g), thinly sliced 1 cup (packed) pápalo (1 oz/30 g) or a combination of cilantro, basil, and mint 8 ounces queso Oaxaca or fresh mozzarella (226 g), pulled into thin strands or shredded 8 ounces thinly sliced smoked or cooked ham (226 g)   Place a pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to a ¼-inch thickness. Unwrap and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chops, then season both sides with salt and pepper.   Add the flour to a shallow bowl (a pie plate works best). Place the eggs in another shallow bowl and beat to combine. Place the panko in a third shallow bowl. Season the flour, eggs, and panko with salt and pepper.   Working with one at a time, dredge a chop through the flour, shaking off any excess and making sure both sides are well coated. Transfer to the bowl with the eggs and turn to coat. Lift from the bowl, letting any excess drip off. Add the pork to the panko, pressing it into the crumbs on both sides to adhere, then transfer the pork to a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining chops.   In a large skillet over medium-high, heat ¼ cup oil. Cook 2 cutlets at a time until the coating is deep golden brown and the pork is just cooked through, for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining ¼ cup oil and 2 cutlets.   Smash half of an avocado onto the top half of each toasted cemita so that it sticks to the bread. Set a pork cutlet on each bottom half. Top the pork with the chipotle, onion, pápalo, queso, ham, and a generous drizzle of chipotle brine. Top the cemita, cut in half, and serve.