It started with the question, “Do you know pupusas?” That triggered a flashback to memories of consuming vast quantities of these stuffed masa pancakes in the kitchen at Clio. Ken would occasionally ask one of the dishwashers to bring in enough for the team, and we would be revitalized. For as many as I ate, I never learned, or even thought about, how to make them, until last week. The chef stopped and showed me how to make his pupusas. The dough is a blend of masa harina, warm water, and salt. Two balls of the dough are pressed together with a filling of your choice. We started with scallions, bacon, and cotija. Then the dough is pressed flat and sautéed. It becomes tender and delicate, with enough strength to hold together and keep the filling in place. The finished pupusas reminded me of scallion pancakes, only lighter and with more flavor. Ours were topped with marinara sauce and a spicy cabbage slaw. They were finished with a few spears of pickled jalapeños. After consuming more than my share, the ideas and possibilities for what we could do with pupusas began to flow freely.
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