Cemita Poblana

Ingredients

• 4 cemita rolls, or large sesame-topped brioche buns
• 4 thin pork or beef escalopes, about 120 g each
• 100 g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 150 g fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 200 ml vegetable oil, for frying
• 250 g quesillo (Oaxaca string cheese)
• 2 avocados
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 6 chipotle chillies en adobo, plus 3 tbsp of their adobo
• 24 papalo leaves, or a large handful of coriander

Before you cook

• Beat the escalopes between two sheets of plastic until they are 5 mm thick and roughly the width of the rolls.
• Beat the eggs in a shallow dish, put the flour in a second dish, and mix the breadcrumbs with the oregano, salt and pepper in a third.
• Pull the quesillo apart into fine threads.
• Slice the onion thinly and cut the avocados into thick slices.
• Slice the chipotles into strips and stir them back into their adobo.

Steps

1. Dip an escalope into the flour and shake off the excess.
2. Pass it through the beaten egg and let the surplus drip away.
3. Press it firmly into the seasoned breadcrumbs on both sides until it is completely coated.
4. Coat the remaining escalopes the same way and rest them on a rack for 10 minutes so the crust sets.
5. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan to 180C, or until a breadcrumb sizzles the instant it goes in.
6. Fry the milanesas one or two at a time for 2 minutes on each side, until deep golden and crisp.
7. Drain them on a rack rather than on paper, so the crust stays crunchy.
8. Split the cemita rolls and toast the cut faces on a dry pan for 1 minute, until lightly coloured.
9. Spread the base of each roll with a spoonful of chipotle adobo.
10. Lay a milanesa on the adobo and pile quesillo threads over it while the meat is still hot enough to soften the cheese.
11. Add avocado slices, sliced onion and strips of chipotle.
12. Press a generous handful of papalo leaves on top.
13. Close the roll, press down hard with your palm for a few seconds, then cut it in half to serve.