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You are here: Home » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch

Empalmes Recipe

Published: Dec 2, 2016 · Updated: Aug 12, 2018 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

DESAYUNO NORTEÑO

Here in Nuevo León, we have a unique dishes and customs. The key is to always try and use local and regional ingredients to prepare the recipes, as that gives them a particular authenticity and value.

Out of the three meals we make every day, breakfast is the most important one, for it’s the one that we commence our day with. I’m putting together a small book titled “Desayunos Notables” (“Notable Breakfasts”); it’s a compilation of breakfast recipes that I grew up with and includes recipes from Tampico, the Huasteca region in Veracruz, and Nuevo León, but also features some new recipes that I’ve developed throughout the years.

Empalmes, a recipe by Chef Adrian Herrera

Empalmes recipe norteños receta de Monterrey


Today’s recipe is a take on the mythical “empalmes”, which are very common in the northeast: two tortillas passed through some fantastic lard, filled with refried beans. For the beans, I first cook them in water with salt and a few herbs. Then, I mash them and season with salt, cumin (Lots of cumin! Such is the custom around here), and ground pepper. Next, I fry some onion and garlic and slightly caramelize them on a low flame before adding the chorizo ranchero. The chorizos from the north are rough, vinegary, and heavily spiced, and match the humor of the people.

So, pinto beans with onion and chorizo to create the perfect empalmes. To assemble, two nixtamal tortillas are passed through hot oil, and once golden, you add the mixture of beans and chorizo. On top of that goes a fried egg with chile piquin salsa. This salsa is very typical of the “national highway” (that goes from Monterrey to Tampico) around El Blanquillo, a community known for its salsas, preserves, and dried meats.

This salsa has dried chile piquin, garlic, onion, and spices like pepper, cumin, and oregano. It is a spicy and vinegary character, which goes along perfectly with the empalmes. To decorate: chopped green onions or cilantro, either works fine. This breakfast dish is accompanied with black coffee –I like it without sugar– or with a very cold glass of orange juice from the citrus-producing regions of Nuevo León.

Chef Herrera receta de empalmes


This is a guest post by Mexican Chef Adrian Herrera

Adrian Herrera (Monterrey, 1969) is a chef and owner of La Fonda San Francisco in Monterrey. He is soon to publish his own book of anecdotes and opinions on the world of gastronomy, “Escritos Sobre Gastronomía”, has been a contributor for the past 11 years for the newspaper Milenio, and is one of the judges on MasterChef México.

How to make Empalmes Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

NOTES:

  • Recipes for the salsa and pinto beans with chorizo are given below.

DIRECTIONS:

Empalmes recipe norteños receta de Monterrey
  • Heat lard or oil in a skillet. Fry each tortilla until it acquires a golden color, then place on a plate while you finish frying the rest. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • Spread a generous amount of the beans over one tortilla and then place another tortilla on top of it. Do the same with the other 2 tortillas.
  • Fry one egg in the same frying pan, and once it is done, place it on top of the “Empalmes”. Fry another egg for the other set of tortillas.
Empalmes recipe norteños receta monterrey, easy delicious family recipe

To serve, top with the piquin salsa and garnish with the chopped cilantro or serve with the roasted green onions.

Pinto beans with chorizo

Provecho!

Fried pinto beans with chorizo Nuevo León Style

NOTES:

  • You are only going to use ½ cup of this preparation for the Empalmes; you can store the rest in your fridge to serve with eggs or other Mexican dishes.

DIRECTIONS:

Pinto beans with chorizo, step by step
  • Place the beans with the broth into a blender pitcher, add the cumin, and process until they are creamy smooth. Add water in case they look too dry. Set aside. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • In a skillet, heat the lard or oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook until they start caramelizing. About 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the crumbled chorizo and cook for about 4 minutes.
  • Pour in the bean purée and mix well. Cook for about 4-5 more minutes on low heat, allowing all the flavors to mix. Season with salt and pepper, and if you wish, more cumin, according to your own personal taste. Some people love cumin, so go ahead and season it. Set aside to proceed to prepare the Empalmes.
Piquin pepper salsa recipe

Dried piquin pepper salsa

NOTES:

* You can double the number of ingredients to make a larger batch; this salsa lasts several days in the fridge.

DIRECTIONS:

Piquin pepper salsa recipe Nuevo Leon
  • Toast the peppers in a hot pan for about 45 seconds, shaking the pan during the process to avoid burning the peppers. Place peppers into the mortar. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • Slightly toast the cumin seeds and black peppers for 30 seconds in the hot pan, and add them to the mortar.
  • Grind the piquin peppers, cumin, black pepper, and the oregano until you have a very fine texture.
Piquin pepper salsa recipe
  • Heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, stir in the onion and garlic. Sauté until they start to get a golden color around the edges.
  • Add the onion and garlic to the mortar, and keep grinding until it has a fine texture. Mix in the vinegar and water. Season with salt and enjoy!
Empalmes recipe norteños estilo Monterrey

Provecho!

Mely Martínez.

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📖 Recipe

Empalmes Recipe

Mely Martínez
Today’s recipe is a take on the mythical empalmes recipe, which are very common in the northeast: two tortillas passed through some fantastic lard, filled with refried beans. For the beans, I first cook them in water with salt and a few herbs. I mash them and season with salt, cumin, and ground pepper.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 2
Calories 465 kcal

Ingredients
  

EMPALMES

    MAKES 2 SERVINGS

    • 4 corn tortillas
    • 2 tablespoons of oil or lard
    • ½ cup pinto beans with chorizo
    • 2 eggs

    TO SERVE:

    • Piquin peppers salsa
    • Chopped cilantro or pan roasted green onions

    FRIED PINTO BEANS WITH CHORIZO NUEVO LEON STYLE

      MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS*

      • 3 cups of cooked beans with some of their broth
      • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
      • 2 tablespoons of lard or oil
      • ½ cup onion diced
      • 1 garlic clove diced
      • 2 chorizos about 4 oz.
      • Salt and pepper

      DRIED PIQUIN PEPPER SALSA

        MAKES ABOUT ½ A CUP*

        • 2 tablespoons piquin pepper
        • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
        • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
        • 4 kernels of black pepper
        • ⅓ of a small white onion sliced
        • 1 garlic clove sliced
        • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
        • ½ tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar
        • 6 tablespoons of water
        • Salt to taste

        Instructions
         

        EMPALMES

        • Heat lard or oil in a skillet. Fry each tortilla until it acquires a golden color, then place on a plate while you finish frying the rest.
        • Spread a generous amount of the beans over one tortilla and then place another tortilla on top of it. Do the same with the other 2 tortillas.
        • Fry one egg in the same frying pan, and once it is done, place it on top of the “Empalmes”. Fry another egg for the other set of tortillas.
        • To serve, top with the piquin salsa and garnish with the chopped cilantro or serve with the roasted green onions.

        Provecho!

          FRIED PINTO BEANS

          • Place the beans with the broth into a blender pitcher, add the cumin, and process until they are creamy smooth. Add water in case they look too dry. Set aside.
          • In a skillet, heat the lard or oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook until they start caramelizing. About 3 minutes.
          • Stir in the crumbled chorizo and cook for about 4 minutes.
          • Pour in the bean purée and mix well. Cook for about 4-5 more minutes on low heat, allowing all the flavors to mix. Season with salt and pepper, and if you wish, more cumin, according to your own personal taste. Some people love cumin, so go ahead and season it. Set aside to proceed to prepare the Empalmes.

          DRIED PIQUIN PEPPER SALSA

          • Toast the peppers in a hot pan for about 45 seconds, shaking the pan during the process to avoid burning the peppers. Place peppers into the mortar.
          • Slightly toast the cumin seeds and black peppers for 30 seconds in the hot pan, and add them to the mortar.
          • Grind the piquin peppers, cumin, black pepper, and the oregano until you have a very fine texture.
          • Heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, stir in the onion and garlic. Sauté until they start to get a golden color around the edges.
          • Add the onion and garlic to the mortar, and keep grinding until it has a fine texture. Mix in the vinegar and water. Season with salt and enjoy!

          Nutrition

          Serving: 1EmpalmeCalories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 12gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 381mgPotassium: 561mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 4225IUVitamin C: 9.9mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2.9mg
          Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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          1. Roberto Gabacho de Baja La Puente

            November 22, 2018 at 4:47 pm

            5 stars
            Thank you for the original style recipe. I've been making Empalmes for many years and did not know their name. Mine vary with whatever is in the fridge. If I am cooking for a group I will use street taco size tortillas and will use 2 with each egg that a person desires to accommodate their appetite.
            Thanks again for the great recipes and the emails.

            Bob

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              November 23, 2018 at 7:04 pm

              Hello Bob,
              Thank you for being a subscriber and enjoy your tasty Empalmes!

              Reply
          2. Lizbeth Hernandez Ronquillo

            October 20, 2018 at 6:25 pm

            Hi,
            I will love to make this recipe, however, I live in Canada (Saskatoon) an “chiles” are hard to get.
            What other chille may I use?

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              October 22, 2018 at 4:55 pm

              Hello Lizbeth,
              can you find arbol peppers or other dry hot peppers sold at Indian or Asian markets? Those could work on this recipe. And by the way, you can also use another type of salsa.

              Reply
          3. Donald

            October 15, 2017 at 10:08 pm

            5 stars
            Hi Mely,
            Thanks for another great post. I always enjoy your recipes and photographs. My chili piquin bush did not make it through the Phoenix summer, but my chiltepin is loaded with fruit. Your right, those are some spicy little buggers!
            This is another recipe I look forward to trying.
            Many thanks

            Reply
          4. Roberto Gutierrez

            May 27, 2017 at 2:26 pm

            Hola Mely, gracias por este reporte. Just a note to bring additional detail: the empalmes (also called "pares") were made early on in my father's home town of General Zuazua, about 40Km's northeast of Monterrey. My abuela would make these for her children, (my dad) who would later fry them up on a grill in the potrero, as my father cared for the goats. She added Mexican oregano. Later in the 70's my Tias added queso blanco and jalapeno and packaged them in Zuazua for sale to neighbors' outdoor cookouts. They were a big hit. La Cocina de Oly is still in operation in Zuazua. Saludos, Roberto

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              May 27, 2017 at 5:05 pm

              Hola Roberto,
              Thank you for taking the time to add your note to the recipe. They are delicious and in that area of Nuevo León empalmes are a big deal!

              Saludos y un abrazo!

              Reply
          5. Colin Armstrong

            January 23, 2017 at 7:13 pm

            5 stars
            After reading this recipe on Friday I ran out to get the ingredients so I could make it on Saturday morning. It was so good I had it on Sunday as well!

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              January 23, 2017 at 8:23 pm

              Hello Colin,
              Thank you for trying the recipe. enjoy!

              Reply
          6. Barajas

            December 04, 2016 at 4:05 pm

            5 stars
            Looks delicious. Chorizo and beans yummy. I grew up with those hot chilies in my back yard. Love them.

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              December 09, 2016 at 1:07 am

              Hello Barajas,

              Those little peppers are small but hot! Delicious!And yes, a lot of people have the custom to have a small plant of this peppers in their backyards and just go back at midday yo cut some fresh peppers to spicy up they lunch.

              Reply
          7. Larry M

            December 03, 2016 at 3:13 pm

            5 stars
            This is the recipe I have been waiting for...thanks

            Reply
            • mmartinez

              December 09, 2016 at 1:06 am

              Hello Larry,

              I hope you enjoy it as much as we do at home.

              Reply

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          About me

          Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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