Flautas with Tomatillo Sauce for Dinner

My son and his significant other were here to visit at the end of July, and one of his food requests was Flautas. I lived in Guatemala during the 1970s to late 1981, and had all four of my children while living there. In Guatemala, at least at that time, these things that are called "flautas" in Mexican restaurants in the U.S., were called "Mexican Tacos." Mexican tacos were always rolled into tubes in a corn tortilla, then fried. 
 

Flautas (meaning "flutes") or Mexican Tacos

In Guatemala, conversely, "tacos" were never fried, but were just a fresh corn tortilla with some kind of shredded meat (chicken or beef, usually) and possibly some fresh onion and parsley folded into the tortilla with the meat. On the table would be at minimum two choices of salsa to put onto the meat, sometimes up to 4 different kinds. Some would be tomato based salsas, some tomatillo based, some would be hot, some not. And usually there would be either pickled jalapeño peppers and/or freshly smashed chiltepe chiles (known in Mexican groceries as Chiltepin or Piquin) in lime juice. There was always something for everyone to flavor their tacos to their heart's desire and heat tolerance. They were amazing, and amazingly good!

Tomatillos in Husk

But, this blog is on the topic of "flautas," or Mexican Tacos. I found a recipe long, long ago, and the flautas turn out so good that I haven't bothered to change it much. In the past, I have made an avocado based sauce to dip the flautas in, but this time I wanted to try out a tomatillo sauce. In case you have not used tomatillos, they are small husked fruits that look a lot like green tomatoes, once the husk is removed. To buy them, either peel back the husk a bit to look, or at least feel the fruit inside to make sure it is firm and smooth. When the husk is removed, the fruit has a bit of a sticky substance on them, so don't be surprised when fingers pick up that stickiness. Tomatillos are also tart like a green tomato, so they can be used as a substitute, if necessary.

Flautas with tomatillo sauce for dinner, with rice, black beans & guacamole

I knew the flautas would turn out well, so I focused on making a tomatillo sauce that would be pleasing to the palate and a good pairing with the flautas themselves. In my mind, I felt that using a Poblano pepper would add a little heat without being too much, and of course, onion, garlic and cilantro. Salt and pepper are a must, as well as oregano, which turns up in surprising places in Guatemalan cooking. Allspice is also used often, so that would also go in. My idea was to broil all the vegetables until browned or blackened (in the case of the Poblano pepper). Whether or not to cook the sauce afterwards was a question to be answered later.

Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillo Sauce

Makes about 1¾ cups sauce

8 medium tomatillos, husks removed
1 Poblano pepper
1 medium onion, in wedges
3 large cloves fresh garlic
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1 small bunch cilantro with stems
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Heat the broiler and have a rack on the second shelf down from top. Rinse the tomatillos, then set them onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Place the Poblano pepper on the sheet as well. Place under the broiler and broil the pepper until it is blackened and blistered all over, turning as needed, then remove to a zip top bag to steam until cool enough to handle. Once the tomatillos have little black or browned spots, turn over to brown the other side. Once done on both sides, remove them to a blender container, using tongs.

Separate the onion into individual bits and set them onto the baking sheet, along with the garlic cloves. Allow the garlic to turn brown on both sides NOT black!), then remove to blender container. With tongs, toss the onion pieces periodically, until they have some blackened edges and a heavenly smell, then remove them to the blender container.

Once the Poblano pepper is cool enough to handle, remove all the blackened skins. Rinse of any remaining skins, then split the pepper open and remove the stem, seeds and membranes. Place the pepper with the other ingredients in the blender container, along with the remaining ingredients. Blend the mixture to a puree and serve. No need to cook it, it tastes great just as is!  If serving later, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

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Flautas just fried

When it came to making the flautas, in the past I had always first cooked a whole chicken until done, then removed and discarded all skin and bones, then shredded the chicken meat. This time, with most every grocery store selling rotisserie chickens, I opted to use a rotisserie chicken and save some time. The rest of the recipe is simple and easy, though these flautas call for first frying the tortilla, to make it pliable but not breakable when being rolled, then filling and rolling and frying again, until lightly golden and crisp. It is helpful to use toothpicks to secure the edges until the flautas are fried and can hold their shape.

How many flautas can be made from a recipe using one chicken will depend entirely on how large your tortillas are. I had small ones, about 6-inches in diameter, and got about 30 little Flautas from the recipe. Using larger 8-inch tortillas, you might get 20 or so. Be aware that the filling needs to be scant, or it is impossible to roll and secure the tortilla for frying. After making a few, you will see about how much filling can be safely used per tortilla.

As I truly hate deep frying anything, this recipe is a real chore for me, and I prefer to shallow fry rather than deep fry.

Flautas

Flautas

Makes 20 to 30, depending on size

1 rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4-ounce) can mild chopped green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
25 - 35 corn tortillas
vegetable oil, for frying

Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken, discarding skin and bones. Shred the meat into long shreds and set aside.

Heat a skillet and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry the onion in the oil until very tender. Add in the tomatoes, green chilies and garlic, cooking for a couple of minutes to meld flavors. Add in the shredded chicken, cumin, salt and pepper and toss well to blend all the seasonings with the chicken. Set aside to cool slightly.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add in about ½-inch of oil. Heat the oil to quite hot, but not smoking, then one at a time, place a tortilla in the oil for a few seconds on each side, until pliable but not browned, then remove to paper toweling to drain. Begin filling each fried tortilla with some of the filling mixture, rolling and securing with a toothpick to hold the edge closed. Add more oil to the pan in small amounts, as needed to keep the level at about ½-inch deep. Once done with the tortillas, fry the rolled flautas, turning as needed until they are golden brown. Remove them to paper toweling. Serve warm with Tomatillo Sauce.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.