Gringas (Al Pastor Quesadillas)

Ingredients

For 8 servings

• •4 guajillo chiles, stems removed
• •1 chipotle chile, stem removed
• •3 árbol chiles, stems removed
• •1 tasse (240 ml) canned pineapple juice
• •1 /2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from two oranges
• •1 /4 cup (60 ml) distilled white vinegar
• •1 /4 small white onion (about 1 1/2 ounces; 42 g), roughly chopped
• •3 cloves garlic
• •2 c. à café ground cumin
• •1 c. à café dried Mexican oregano
• •1 /2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• •1 /4 teaspoon ground clove
• •1 c. à café Diamond Crystan kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume
• •1 1/2 pounds (680 g) pork belly, cut into 1- to 1/2-inch wide strips lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (see notes)
• •3 c. à soupe (45 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable, divided
• •8 ounces queso Oaxaca, shredded (about 2 cups shredded), see notes
• •12 ounces (340 g) peeled and cored fresh pineapple, thinly sliced into bite-size pieces (2 cups sliced)
• •4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Method

1. 1.In a blender jar, combine guajillo chiles, chipotle chiles, árbol chiles, pineapple juice, orange juice, and vinegar. Push the chiles into the liquid until they are mostly submerged. Soak until chile skins are softened, about 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, salt and clove. Blend on high speed until smooth, with no bits of chile skin remaining.
2. 2.In a large bowl, coat pork thoroughly with blended chile sauce. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. 3.When ready to cook, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over high heat until shimmering, then add half of the pineapple slices. Cook, undisturbed, until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining pineapple, transferring to the bowl with the first batch. (Do not wipe out skillet.)
4. 4.Remove pork from marinade and spread over a paper towel–lined baking sheet. Gently pat dry to remove excess marinade. Add 1/4 of the pork to skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and lightly charred, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pineapple. Repeat with remaining pork in 3 more batches, for a total of 4 batches. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and set aside.
5. 5.To Assemble the Gringas: Working with 1 tortilla at a time, coat half of tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese. Top with 1/3 cup of the pork-and-pineapple mixture. Cover with 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold in half and press down at the seams to hold in place. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling for a total of 8 gringas.
6. 6.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches of 2 to 3, add gringas and toast until first side is golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and toast the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Press the tortilla with your fingertips to ensure the cheese is thoroughly melted. Repeat with remaining gringas, adding additional oil as needed; reduce heat as needed between batches to prevent tortillas from browning too quickly. Serve immediately.