Tetela at Valle.

Tetela Recipe by Chef Roberto Alcocer of Valle

Name: Tetela Recipe by Chef Roberto Alcocer of Valle
Prep time: 60 s
Cook time: 20 s
Total time: 80 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: FOR THE SALSA VERDE BORRACHA; Tomatillos; Onion; Garlic; Serrano chile; Epazote; Cilantro; Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo Tequila; Salt; FOR THE HOJA SANTA OIL; Parsley; Hoja santa leaves; Neutral oil; FOR THE CHICHARRÓN PRENSADO IN SALSA VERDE; Chicharrón prensado; Salsa verde (from recipe or pre-made); Onion; Garlic; Salt; FOR THE PINTO BEAN PURÉE; Cooked pinto beans; Pork lard; Salt; FOR THE TETELA DOUGH; Blue masa; Yellow masa; Epazote leaves; Chicharrón Prensado in Salsa Verde; FOR THE AVOCADO PEARLS; Ripe avocados

02 May 2025

Roberto Alcocer

Chef

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Difficulty

Challenge

Total Time

1H 20MIN

Cuisine

Mexican

Ingredients

FOR THE SALSA VERDE BORRACHA

Tomatillos: 440 g

Onion: 72 g

Garlic: 9 g

Serrano chile: 4 g

Epazote: 5 g

Cilantro: 11 g

Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo Tequila: 120 ml

Salt: to taste

FOR THE HOJA SANTA OIL

Parsley: 40 g

Hoja santa leaves: 20 g

Neutral oil: 160 g

FOR THE CHICHARRÓN PRENSADO IN SALSA VERDE

Chicharrón prensado: 130 g

Salsa verde (from recipe or pre-made): 260 ml

Onion: 25 g (finely chopped)

Garlic: 6 g (minced)

Salt: to taste

FOR THE PINTO BEAN PURÉE

Cooked pinto beans: 86 g

Pork lard: 25 g

Salt: to taste

FOR THE TETELA DOUGH

Blue masa: 68 g (approx. 11 g per tetela)

Yellow masa: 68 g (approx. 11 g per tetela)

Epazote leaves: 12 (2 per tetela)

Chicharrón Prensado in Salsa Verde: 210 g (35 g per tetela)

FOR THE AVOCADO PEARLS

Ripe avocados: 2

Water with lemon juice or ascorbic acid: for preservation

Tetelas are one of the oldest pre-Hispanic street foods in Mexico, explains chef Alcocer. He recalls his father packing them for his school lunches, “folding them carefully like little envelopes of love. They were simple but perfect.” Today, Alcocer rotates the tetelas he serves at Valle according to seasonal ingredients but assures the “soul stays the same—masa, memories, and the magic of the triangle.”

How to make Tetelas.

01.

Make the Salsa Verde Borracha

Char the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and serrano chile over a grill until nicely blackened.
Crush with epazote and cilantro in a molcajete or mortar and pestle until smooth.
Adjust seasoning with salt.
Add tequila and flambé with a torch.
Let cool and reserve.

02.

Prepare the Hoja Santa Oil

Blend parsley, hoja santa, and oil on high speed until smooth.
Strain through a fine sieve or superbag.
Refrigerate until needed.

03.

Cook the Chicharrón Prensado Filling

Mince the chicharrón in a food processor.
Sear in a pan until golden.
Add onion and sweat until translucent, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Stir in salsa verde and simmer until slightly thickened.
Season with salt.
Cool and reserve.

04.

Make the Pinto Bean Purée

Heat lard in a pan until golden.
Add pinto beans and refry, mashing constantly over medium heat.
Once velvety and cohesive, blend on high speed.
Season with salt.
Pass through a fine sieve or chinois and cool.

05.

Form the Tetelas

Combine 11 g blue masa and 11 g yellow masa per tetela and roll into a ball.
Press into a tortilla using plastic wrap and a tortilla press.
Place two epazote leaves in the center, press again gently to adhere.
Spoon 35 g of cold chicharrón filling into the center.
Fold the tortilla into an equilateral triangle, sealing the edges tightly.
Sear the sealed side first until golden and cooked through.
Flip and repeat on the other side. Sear the edges.
Keep warm.

06.

Shape the Avocado Pearls

Using a #15 melon baller, scoop small spheres from peeled ripe avocados.
Submerge in water with ascorbic acid or lemon juice to prevent browning.

07.

Plate the Tetela

Dot each plate with 15 g of warm pinto bean purée.
Spoon 45 ml (1.5 oz) of salsa verde around the purée.
Place the hot tetela in the center, epazote side facing up.
Arrange three avocado pearls in a triangle around the tetela.
Drizzle each pearl with hoja santa oil.
Garnish each with a cilantro blossom.

02 May 2025

1 Michelin Star Restaurants

The Chef

With more than 20 years of experience cooking across Mexico and in Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Spain, Alcocer has been at the forefront of Baja Mexican cuisine, crafting vibrant, playful fare that has become a hallmark of his work.

At Valle, Alcocer lends his distinct perspective on the region's food and wine to a seasonally inspired, California-sourced tasting menu served in an elevated setting, creating an intriguing juxtaposition of modern Mexican dining against the carefree energy of Oceanside's surf and skate community.

In 2023, Alcocer led Valle to earn its first MICHELIN star, which the restaurant retained in 2024. In 2025, he was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: California Semi-Finalist, further cementing his culinary influence.

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