A bolillo or pan francés is a type of savory bread traditionally made in Mexico. It is a variation of the baguette, but shorter in length and is often baked in a stone oven.
It has a thick and crunchy crust. Brought to Mexico City in the 1860s by Emperor Maximilian’s troupe of cooks, its use quickly spread out throughout the country.
Sandwich refers to a food item consisting of one or more ingredients placed on or between slices of bread. In other words, any food that uses two or more pieces of bread as the container.
The bread is important. If your local grocer doesn't offer it, check the Mexican store near you or substitute 4 Kaiser rolls.
Mexican Torta (Sandwich)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound sirloin steak
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Ground cayenne pepper to taste
4 bolillio rolls, split
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup refried beans
1 large avocado, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
2 cups shredded lettuce
Crumbled cotija cheese
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Season steak with garlic salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Grill steak on the preheated grill until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat to a cutting board and cover with foil.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread both halves of each roll with mayonnaise. Brown the rolls, mayonnaise-side down until golden, about 3 minutes. Warm the refried bean in a bowl in the microwave, about 1 minute on High, and slice the sirloin steak into thin strips.
Spread a thin layer of beans on the bottom half of each roll, layer with steak, avocado, tomato, and lettuce. Top with cheese and close the sandwich with the top of the roll.
Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 546; Carbohydrates 37g; Cholesterol 64mg; Fiber 9g; Sodium 1886mg; Fat 32g; Protein 29g
* Source: AllRecipes
Cotija cheese is a Hispanic-style cheese named after the town of Cotija in the Mexican state of Michoacán. This hard, crumbly Mexican cheese is made mainly from cow’s milk.
Cotija cheese tastes salty, strongly flavored, firm and does not actually melt. It's considered part of the Parmesan family.