Instructions

Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and pliable, taking care not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the soaking liquid.

In a blender, combine the softened chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, vinegar, neutral oil and a generous pinch of salt. Blend, adding just enough chile soaking liquid to make a thick, pasty marinade. It should cling to the squab, not run off it. Add another splash of vinegar if it needs loosening.

Rub the marinade all over the squab breasts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Reserve any extra marinade that has not touched raw squab for brushing on the meat as it cooks.

Make the salsa. Char the tomatillos and chiles on the grill or in a dry skillet until blistered in spots and softened. Transfer to a blender with the garlic, onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Blend until loose and spoonable. Taste and adjust with more lime juice or salt.

Make the tortillas. In a bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Stir in the warm water and knead until a soft dough forms. It should feel like Play-Doh, not dry or sticky. Add more water or masa harina as needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the masa into balls slightly larger than a golf ball. Line a tortilla press with plastic and press each ball into a thin tortilla. Cook on a hot griddle until lightly browned in spots and pliable, about 45 to 60 seconds per side. Keep the tortillas wrapped in a towel so they stay warm and flexible.

Prepare a medium-hot grill. Lightly oil the marinated squab breasts. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook briefly on the second side, just until charred at the edges and still juicy. Brush with a little reserved marinade as they cook, if desired. Let rest, then slice or roughly chop the meat.

To assemble the taquitos, place a small line of grilled squab down the center of each warm tortilla. Sprinkle with cotija and roll tightly. Do not overfill them.

Pour enough oil into a heavy skillet to come about 1/2 inch up the sides and heat to 350°F. Working in batches, place the taquitos seam-side down in the hot oil. Fry, turning once, until crisp and golden on two sides, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a rack or paper towels and season lightly with salt.

Pile the taquitos on a platter. Drizzle with crema, spoon the green tomatillo salsa over the top or serve it alongside, and finish with cilantro and more cotija. Serve with lime wedges.

Tip: Fresh tortillas are easier to roll and less likely to crack, which is why they work so well here. If using store-bought tortillas, warm them thoroughly and keep them covered before rolling.

Substitution: Chicken thighs work well if squab is unavailable. Cook them before chopping and rolling into the taquitos.