Torta Ahogada

Recipe.

Last week, on a ridiculously frigid day in Chicago, I actually waited 45 minutes outside in line to get into a restaurant. And it was all for a particular sandwich...XOCO's Torta Ahogada. And it was worth the chilly wait.

The torta ahogada ("drowned sandwich")is Mexican comfort food to the max. A crusty roll filled with slow roasted carnitas, black beans, and pickled onions soaking in a smokey and spicy tomato chile broth. I went through no less than 3 napkins and was sweating from the spiciness...and I loved every second of it.

So I started searching for recipes to make this at home for myself...here's the winner. I can't wait to try my hand at Bayless' masterpiece.

Torta Ahogada

Sauce:
12 oz can stewed tomatoes
8 chile de arbol peppers, stems removed (add less if you don't want it spicy or more if you like it HOT!)
2 garlic cloves
1 lime, juice set aside
1 cup chicken broth

Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Carnitas:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat. Freeze half and reserve the rest for sandwiches.

Sandwiches:
2 lbs Carnitas
canned black beans (drained, rinsed, and heated)
Pickled Onions
6 bolillo rolls or any hard crusty roll
Sauce

Place a ladle of the sauce in a shallow bowl. Fill each roll with a healthy serving of carnitas. Top with black beans and pickled onions to your taste. Cut sandwich in half and place in bowl. Enjoy!!