Picadas Veracruz Style
Sólo Veracruz es Bello” (Only Veracruz is beautiful), says a popular slogan … And it is, indeed! The first time we took our son to Veracruz he was just 3 years old. He asked why everything has that particular color while we were on the road. I asked him “what color”? And he said: “the same color as Oscar from Sesame Street. Green!” (Those who have children will understand).
And he was right, everything is green from start to finish, from north to south the state of Veracruz is green and beautiful! I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit many states in my home country, but Veracruz has a mixture of virtues that make it different. It has magnificent natural landscapes: forests, plains, jungles, mountains … Even a mountain-volcano, the mighty Citlaltépetl (also known as “Pico de Orizaba”) crowned with its permanent white snow. Nature definitely has been very generous with Veracruz.
It is unknown to most of us that Hollywood often chose locations in this splendid state to film movies that have been hit in the United States, such as “Romancing the Stone”, “Clear and Present Danger”, “Collateral Damage”, and “Apocalypto”, just to name a few.
Its people are a mixture of races that resulted in a rich, friendly and warm population that welcomes visitors from around the world and shows with pride its roots from native Mexican Indians, Europeans, and African slaves. The “Veracruzanos” are very cheerful, friendly and hospitable society. As soon as you arrive they will make you feel at home. The fame of its cuisine is due to this fusion of cultures.
“Picadas” are also known as “picaditas”, “sopes”, “huaraches” o “garnachas”, depending on the toppings or the town you are eating them in. These are small tortillas with a pinched-up rim around the edges to hold the filling. In Veracruz it is common to eat them for breakfast topped with salsa, cheese, onion, and cream.
These make a great main dish for your weekend brunch as it did for us served along with fried plantains and café lechero (strong coffee with milk) as they do in Veracruz.
Picadas Veracruz Style
Instructions:
For the chipotle salsa:
- Place the chipotles in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook until peppers are soft, about 15 -18 minutes. Place the pepper and some of the water in the blender and add the garlic clove. Blend until smooth. Add the vegetable oil in a small skillet over a low heat, add the chipotle sauce and cook for about 8 minutes. Add salt to taste. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Cooking the salsas and the end results.
For the Masa harina dough:
- Combine the 2 ½ cups of masa harina, salt with the water. Mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form a soft dough. If the dough feels dry, add more water (one tablespoon at a time) Form small balls and proceed to make the tortillas following the instructions are given HERE.
- Remove the tortillas from the comal and using your fingers pinch the edges to form a rim around the edges while they are still warm, like when you are making the edges of a pie crust.
- Place the picadas in a cloth napkin to keep warm and set aside while you finish making the rest of the dough. This step can be done in advance and just warm up before serving.
- When ready to serve to gather all the salsas, picadas, cheese, chopped onion and melted lard to assemble your dish. Heat your griddle.
- Brush the griddle with the lard, place the picadas with their rims up and spread some more lard in their tops. While they are warming up spread the salsa of your choice, followed by the cheese and then the chopped onion. Note: Some people prefer to fry the picadas instead of warming up in a griddle and then add the salsa and cheese.
Serve warm and add cream. You can use any salsa for the topping, refried beans, shredded beef or chicken.
- 2 ½ cups of masa harina
- About 1 ½ cup of water to form the dough
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of salsa verde
- 1 cup of roasted salsa
- 1 cup of chipotle salsa recipe follows
- 1 cup of Mole Poblano Sauce optional
- 1 ½ of grated fresh cheese could use farmer cheese or feta
- ¾ cup white onion finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Mexican cream or Crème fraiche
- 3 tablespoons of melted lard or oil
- 4 dry chipotle peppers cleaned and seeded for the salsa
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
-
Place the chipotles in a sauce pan and cover with water. Cook until peppers are soft, about 15 -18 minutes. Place the pepper and some of the water in the blender and add the garlic clove. Blend until smooth. Add the vegetable oil in a small skillet in a low heat, add the chipotle sauce and cook for about 8 minutes. Add salt to taste.
-
Cooking the salsas and the end results.
-
Combine the 2 ½ cups of masa harina, salt with the water. Mix throughly for about 2 minutes to form a soft dough. If dough feels dry, add more water (one tablespoon at a time) Form small balls and proceed to make the tortillas following the instructions given HERE.
-
Remove the tortillas from the comal and using your fingers pinch the edges to from a rim around the edges while they are still warm, like when you are making the edges of a pie crust.
-
Place the picadas in a cloth napkin to keep warm and set aside while you finish making the rest of the dough. This step can be done in advance and just warm up before serving.
-
When ready to serve gather all the salsas, picadas, cheese, chopped onion and melted lard to assemble your dish. Heat your griddle.
-
Brush the griddle with the lard, place the picadas with their rims up and spread some more lard in their tops. While they are warming up spread the salsa of your choice, followed by the cheese and then the chopped onion. Note: Some people prefer to fry the picadas instead of warming up in a griddle and then add the salsa and cheese.
¡Buen Provecho!
Mely,
uy que lindura tu nene & su Oscar-green color!. Nunca he estado en Veracruz pero esta en mi lista de must do.
Ah, y lo que son las cosas, hoy me desayune sendas picadas con salsa verde. de-li-cia!.
ps: aclaro: Cuernavaca tambien es bello ;-D
Oh my goodness that looks delicious! I make almost every recipe you post, and it's always delicious! I think we'll have this for dinner tonight.
Hola Heidi,
Si Cuernavaca es bello tambien, y se come riquisimo. Sobretodo en el famoso "Las Mananitas". Pero a mi me encantaba ir a comer a un puesto de tacos en el centro de Cuernavaca que vendia tacos de menudencias de pollo en diferentes guisados.
Que lindo es Mexico, verdad? Y mas cuando se esta lejos de el.
Saludos y gracias por tu visita.
Mely
So delicious looking. I must try these.
I had a friend from Vera Cruz when I lived in Arizona. A sweet, sweet woman.
Still chuckling about the Oscar The Grouch comment your son made….not only can you cook but you're a great writer..Go, Girl!
Si yo conozco ese puesto de tacos, ya no esta, la ultima vez que fui.
Las picadas estan ricas y con esa variedad de salsa mas!!!
Voy hacer las demas salsas.
Gracias por compartir tus deliciosas y precisas recetas.
Mely, que nostalgia senti al leer tu introduccion a esta receta, no es porque yo sea de alla pero Veracruz es bellisimo, al igual que todo Mexico :). Esas picaditas se ven deliciosas, se me abrio el apetito !! Mary O'Bryant
Mely,
aquí ahorita es precisamente mediodía, imagínate mi sufrimiento viendo esos ricos sopecitos ahi solitos que nada mas esperan a alguien que se los coma de una vez.
Mi única consolación es saber que tengo todavía unas tortillitas para comer con mis mixiotes.
Un abrazo!
Tlaz
I am going to have to find the time to make these. I've never seen them before and now I'm curious. Thanks for sharing something new with us. I hope all is well and that you have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Se miran tan deliciosos, me encantan los sopes. Nunca he ido a Veracruz pero he visto fotos y se mira tan bonito por alla. Haber cuando tengo la oportunidad de cocinar esa riquisima receta.
What a beautiful description of your home country, and a delicious recipe besides!
-Brenda
Me ha encantado esta entrada! La historia, las fotos, las tortillas, todo!
Yo compro las tortillas ya hechas en el mercado, pero luego de ver esto, me muero de envidia por aprender a hacerlas en casa.
¡Tengo que ir un día a conocer Veracruz!
Mely : qué lindo escribes, se nota la añoranza!! qué bonitas fotos, parecen de revista!! y esas picadas sí que se antojan !!
Gracias Mely !
wow looks amazing hope to visit Mexico one day sounds amazing I used Annie Chuns pad thai sauce to make the noodles got it in World Market lol Rebecca
Thanks for that tip, it will save me a lot of calories. I have a recipe for sopes but it calls for frying the already formed and griddled sopes. So, calories and clean up saved!
gracias..ahora se me antojaron mas..i love sopes..
eres mi heroe.
guess what I nomitated your fab blog for a " One lovely Blog Award"
Sounds wonderful.
Mely que ricoo!!!! se antoja tanto ver estas fotos!…que delicia
besos
Gaby
Mely,
I love your writing style and your recipes are awesome! Just the way my mom used to cook…
Hola Mely estas picadas tienen que ser buenísimas, me encanta tú entrada, Veracruz tiene que ser muy bonito.
Por cierto la levadura química que decimos en España es polvo de hornear, si necesitas saber algo más te ayudará encantada.
Besos y abrazos
MªJosé
Mely,
It's a pleasure to discover your blog! My mouth is watering now 🙂 I really enjoyed reading the description of your home country, Beautiful! Especially the sesame street part, so funny 🙂
The Picadas seems just delicious.And the Chipotle salsa Oh!…I'm feeling hungry now 🙂
Abrazos, Aldy 🙂
Ps: Lovely pics!
Mely, qué gran entrada! felicidades, es una delicia de principio a fin. La historia las recetas y la fotografía!
Gracias por los enlaces!
Besos
Mely, me siento a desayunar a tu lado con esas picadas. Ya sabes, yo les digo sopes, y para mí no hay mejor desayuno que un sope y un vaso de jugo.
QUé hermosas fotos.
Un abrazo
These look wonderful! I have a feeling, I could spend hours searching your recipes.
Thank you all for your nice comments. I had been sick since last week. Sorry, I didn't answer back sooner.
Blessings to all and happy cooking.
Mely
Amazing! Can't wait to try these and delve into other recipes on your blog — salivating as I type.
Mely,
In your Pumpkin Turnovers Recipe,what amount do i use, if i use CANNED pumpkin??
Hello virgie954,
The filling renders 3 cups. If using canned pumpkin buy 2 cans since each can equals 1 1/2 cups.
Thanks for stopping by and happy cooking.
Mely
hase mucho tiempo que no me e comido un sope, yo soy de matamoros tamaulipas y tengo primos que viajan a veracruz todo el tiempo. pero gracias a esto voy a ir a mi casa hacer me unos sopes hoy
Muy ricas, tuve la oportunidad de probarlas en Monterrey pues la mamá de una amiga que vive por aquellos rumbos, nos preparó esta delicia mmmm
looks good
I have been fortunate enough to have these made in an authentic Mexican kitchen and they are delicious, I am very excited to find the recipe for them.