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Sloppy José

Sloppy José

This is a Mexican take on a Sloppy Joe. The pickled jalapeños, which have been adapted from a Diana Kennedy recipe, have a bit of kick to them - add them to taste. You'll need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead.

Sloppy José

Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 40 mins, cook 45 mins (plus cooling, pickling)
2 tbsp   olive oil
200 gm   coarsely minced pork
1 tbsp   vegetable oil
1   onion, finely chopped
4   garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp each   ground coriander and ground cumin
½ tsp   dried Mexican oregano (see note)
Large pinch   of cayenne pepper
400 gm   canned whole tomatoes
6   crusty white sub rolls, halved horizontally
To serve:   good-quality mayonnaise
400 gm   firm fiore di latte, thinly sliced
To serve:   lime wedges
Pickled jalapeños
2 tbsp   vegetable oil
12   jalapeños
6   garlic cloves, bruised
375 ml (1½ cups)   white wine vinegar
4   thyme sprigs
1   fresh bay leaf
1 tbsp   sea salt flakes
2 tsp   caster sugar
Corn salsa
2   corn cobs, husks and silks removed
½ cup   coarsely chopped coriander
½   small Spanish onion, finely diced
Juice   of ½ lime, or to taste


1 For pickled jalapeños, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add jalapeños and garlic, stir occasionally until just tender (5-10 minutes), add remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, then cool to room temperature. Refrigerate to pickle for 2-4 days before using. Jalapeños will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks. Drain and coarsely chop before serving.
2 Heat olive oil in a frying pan over high heat, add pork and stir occasionally until browned (5 minutes), then set aside.
3 Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until tender (5-10 minutes), add garlic, spices and oregano and stir until fragrant (1 minute). Add tomato, breaking up with the back of a spoon, and stir to combine, then add pork, season to taste and cook until reduced (5-10 minutes). Season to taste and set aside.
4 Meanwhile, for corn salsa, cook corn in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water over high heat until tender (10-15 minutes). Drain, then when cool enough to handle, slice kernels from cobs, transfer to a bowl, add remaining ingredients and season to taste.
5 To serve, preheat oven to 200C. Spread rolls with a little mayonnaise, spoon meat over, then top with a few slices of cheese. Warm in oven until cheese starts to melt (3-5 minutes), add corn salsa and jalapeños to taste and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Note Dried Mexican oregano is available from Monterey Mexican Foods (see stockists p185); if it's unavailable, substitute dried oregano.

This recipe is from the February 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Drink Suggestion Cold Mexican lager.

RECIPE Emma Knowles & Lisa Featherby PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem STYLING Emma Knowles DRINK SUGGESTION Max Allen

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