Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Fresh masa is used to make tortillas for tacos and also for other antojitos (snacks, appetizers or “little cravings”), like sopes and sopecitos. Intended to be a street-style antojito, these perfect small bites can be used as a passed hors d’oeuvre; however, if you make the sopes larger they could also be served as a beautiful, casual main course. Similar to a fat tortilla, a sope is a griddled masa patty with a pinched-edge border that holds in the juicy filling.

These deep-fried sopes are served with a thin layer of black bean purée topped with buttered grilled lobster, cilantro and pico de gallo. (Alternatively, you can use the same ingredients to top high-quality stoneground tortillas, like those from Vermont Tortilla Co. or Mi Tierra, and make lobster tacos instead; you can also use pre-cooked lobster meat from your fishmonger tossed with fresh lime juice and olive oil instead of grilling your own.) The black bean purée, called Frijol Colado, is basically a smooth paste of black beans that have been fried in pork fat (lard). This is a preparation you see a lot in Southeastern Mexico, to which I have added a whole Habanero chili to imbue the beans with its fruit-forward aroma—a perfect complement to the lobster. But you have to be careful to keep the chili whole while it fries with the beans; if it bursts, you run the risk of making the dish too spicy!

To make fresh masa for both tortillas and sopes, use warm water to bloom the natural flavor and fully activate the small bits of pericarp (corn skin) in the flour, which will help naturally bind the masa. You can also substitute other warm liquids, like stock, broth or juice, and add spices if desired. For 2 cups of harina add 1½ cups warm water or broth and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and mix/knead well with your hands. You’re now ready to make sopes (with a tortilla press or a rolling pin) or fresh corn tortillas.

Serves 6

FOR THE SOPES:
2 cups masa harina
1½ cups warm water or broth
¾ teaspoon salt
neutral oil, for frying

FOR THE FRIJOL COLADO/BLACK BEAN PURÉE:
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup bean cooking liquid or chicken broth
3–4 tablespoons lard
1 onion, sliced
1 whole Habanero chili, optional
salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE GRILLED LOBSTER AND PICO DE GALLO:
2 live hard-shelled lobsters, 1½ pounds each
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, diced
¼ cup diced white onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh Serrano chili
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

FOR THE SOPES:
Stir together the masa, water and salt and knead with your hands until it comes together as a dough. Roll the prepared masa into seven 80-gram balls (six to serve and one for practice) and use a tortilla press to lightly flatten them into disks about ¼-inch thick; alternatively, roll and press the masa between two sheets of plastic using a rolling pin.

Place each disk in a dry cast iron skillet-one at a time for about a minute each side. Remove the sope from the pan with a spatula and place it on a clean tea towel in the palm of your hand. Using the towel to protect your fingers from the heat, pinch or press in around the edge of the disks to form a little rim or edge. (You will have to do this while the masa is still hot or it will become too brittle to mold successfully.) Set the sope aside and repeat with the remaining disks until all 6 have been formed; allow to cool.

Right before serving, heat about 1–2 inches of oil in a high-sided skillet and fry the prepared sopes until golden brown or fry in advance, sprinkle with salt and keep warm in a low oven, covered. Set on paper towels to drain.

FOR THE FRIJOL COLADO/BLACK BEAN PURÉE:
Add the beans and the cooking liquid or broth to a blender and blend until very smooth. Add the lard to a frying pan over medium heat; as soon as you start to see a bit of smoke, add the onion and fry until translucent. Pour in the black bean purée and stir with a wooden spoon so it does not stick to the pan. Add the whole Habanero and stir again, being careful not to burst it; simmer the beans in the lard and onion mixture for about 15 minutes total; it will thicken as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.

FOR THE GRILLED LOBSTER AND PICO DE GALLO:
To cook the lobsters, light a gas or charcoal grill. Use a sharp knife to split each lobster straight down the middle, head to tail. Crack each claw with the back of your knife so they will cook evenly on the grill. Brush the flesh with melted butter, season with salt and pepper and grill, flesh side down, about 8–10 minutes. The lobsters are cooked when the meat has become opaque but still looks juicy. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5–10 minutes, then remove the meat from the shells and chop coarsely. Set aside. (Alternatively, gently warm 1 pound cooked chopped lobster meat from your fishmonger in melted butter and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lime.

FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
Stir together the diced tomato, onion, cilantro and chili (remove the seeds for less heat). Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SOPES:
Spread a thin layer of the black bean purée in the middle of each fried sope shell and top with a pile of grilled lobster meat and some pico de gallo. Garnish with more chopped cilantro and a wedge of lime, if you like.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2021 issue as part of a larger story on Mexican BBQ.