These mini tostadas with spiced tomato confit are based on the classic Puebla spiced tomato dish, but made without the chicken or chorizo, so vegetarian guests can munch happily on the mini tostadas with a tangy tomato topping. Leaving the charred, roasted skin on the tomatoes is characteristic of Central Mexican cooking, and adds a bit of smoky flavor.
Ingredients
- ½ cup corn oil
- 2 large onions, cut lengthwise and sliced into thin crescents (“lunitas“)
- 8 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 pounds ripe roma tomatoes, roasted, peeled and chopped
- 4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (seeds removed if desired)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- salt to taste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 40 mini tostadas, 2 inches in diameter
- Shredded lettuce for garnish
- Crumbled cotija cheese for garnish
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion until it becomes transparent. Add the garlic and continue to cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles and continue cooking until the tomatoes begin to soften and render their juice. Stir in the spices, vinegar, sugar and salt to taste.
Add the broth and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. The tinga should be thick. At this point, it can be cooled and refrigerated for a day before being reheated.
Spoon a little tinga onto each mini tostada and top with shredded lettuce and crumbled cheese. Makes 40.
For graduation celebrations: Mexican summer buffets
