Between Jorge (Masienda) and Fermin (Suerte, Este), these guys taught me everything I know about just how great Mexican food is. I grew up with little to no exposure to the authentic stuff, and man, how glad I am that has changed since moving to Texas and visiting Mexico City. They just released their new book, Vitamina T, and I’m confident you will find immense value in it.
Below I’ve got some simple instructions to enter the giveaway.
To enter, just do the following:
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter, it’s free
Drop a comment telling me your favorite Mexican dish, and if there’s a story behind why you love it
What you’ll win:
1 copy of Vitamina T
Masienda tortilla press
2 bags of masa
Molcajete
Details
1 winner will be chosen at random
Giveaway closes 11:59pm CST on 4/12/26
I’ll message the winner directly
Below is an excerpt from Vitamina T for the picadillo gorditas:
Picadillo is, incidentally, yet another dish that appears in name and varying form throughout parts of Latin America (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic) and even in Asia (Philippines) on account of its Spanish influence. In addition to being a filling for the gorditas here, it is delicious in tacos, quesadillas, or served with rice and beans.
MAKES 4 CUPS
2 dried chipotle chiles
1 ancho chile
Neutral oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small potatoes, diced, placed in cold water to prevent browning
1 medium carrot, diced
3 ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
In a medium bowl, combine the chipotle and ancho chiles and enough hot water to cover. Soak the chiles for about 20 minutes. Drain the chiles, then remove the stems and seeds, and finely mince.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, 10 to 12 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in the minced chiles, the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste, and fry until fragrant.
Add the potatoes and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the tomatoes, and simmer until the tomatoes break down and the vegetables cook through, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Transfer the picadillo to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days until ready to use.
As we demonstrated with sopes (see page 194), Mexican food taxonomy can get a bit confusing out there. Gorditas are yet another example of this regionalism as it relates to the naming of things, both within Mexico and beyond. Here, we are specifically cooking up a thicker-set tortilla with a slit down half its circumference, which is then stuffed with picadillo. This is definitely not a recipe for, say, a thick sope or a sweet cake, nor is it a reference to our abuelas’ nicknames for our moms, Gordita, or “little chubby one.” Oh, and for the record, this gordita is no doubt the inspiration for Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch—and yet it’s nothing like its fast-food counterpart.
MAKES 5 GORDITAS
1¼ cups (150g; packed) masa harina, plus more as needed
¼ cup (50g) lard or vegetable shortening, at room temperature, plus more for frying
Scant 1¼ cups (285g) warm (but not hot) water, plus more as needed
About 1¼ cups Beef Picadillo (recipe follows)
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Mexican crema
Crumbled queso fresco
½ avocado, sliced
Salsa Roja (page 244)
Tortilla press and plastic liners (optional)
Add the masa harina to a large bowl. Working by hand, mix the lard into the masa harina by crumbling it between your fingers. Add the warm water a bit at a time, kneading the dough until the water is fully incorporated, there are no dry spots, and the dough is combined and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. It should be moist to the touch but not tacky (leaving bits of wet masa on your hand and fingers). If the dough is too wet, add a bit more masa harina; if it’s too dry or is cracking, add a bit more water.
Divide the dough into 5 equal portions, rolling each into a ball. Using your hands or a tortilla press lined with plastic on both sides, flatten each ball into a thick disk, 3 to 4 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick, smoothing out any cracks by hand.
In a comal or large skillet over medium heat, add a small amount of lard, just enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the gorditas and cook until lightly golden and slightly crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and let cool slightly.
When cool enough to handle, use a small knife to carefully split the gorditas halfway around the edge, creating a pocket. Never done this before? Scan the QR code to see how.
Warm the picadillo if it has cooled. Gently open the pocket of a gordita and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the picadillo into the pocket without overfilling it. Repeat with the remaining gorditas and picadillo.
Serve each gordita garnished with the shredded lettuce, crema, queso fresco, sliced avocado, and salsa.
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