I offered Mrs. L.A. the choice of chili dogs or spaghetti with meatballs for dinner tonight. Then I said, ‘Or I could make chiles rellenos.’ That’s when her face lit up.
The chiles seemed lonely, so I decided to make some beef enchiladas. But I’m feeling lazy. So I just got some ‘stew meat’ (probably chuck, cut into cubes) and seared it in the cast-iron frying pan with some chopped onions, and then just added some packeted taco seasoning and some water, and some jalapeños from a jar. I really can make machaca (though I don’t use dried-and-reconstituted beef), but I just didn’t feel like it. This will be good enough. It will be in the oven at 225º for a couple more hours, and then I’ll shred it. Then I’ll get to work on the ol’ relleno action.
Does “Del Taco” count? Just had lunch there with a pal.
(They aren’t “great” Mexican food…but they’re better’n average. Their specialty burritos – like the Chipoltle Chicken – are nice and BIG, and for an immense character like me, that’s a plus!)
It was getting late, so I took the ‘machaca’ out of the oven early and cooked it a little faster on the stove. Fortunately it’s tender and shredded easily. The enchiladas are in the oven. In about half an hour I’ll do the batter for the chiles and cook them.
It must be catching. I made chimichangas for the first time tonight. Ground beef, onion, green chilies, jalapenos, cheese and various spices de Mehicano wrapped in a flour tortilla, then deep fried, covered in enchilada sauce, more cheese, and sour cream. Was even better than I expected, should have been making those suckers all along.
Actually, I accidentally saw a picture of the chiles rellenos online and I went ‘Hey…’ Mrs. L.A. said, ‘You’re so easily influenced.’
I’m sure I could get it at the carnicería, but I never manage to think that far ahead.
Ain’t I somethin’?
Actually, it’s hard to get her out of the house. I do most of the cooking. Sometimes it’s chili dogs, sometimes it’s steak au poivre, usually it’s something else. She says, ‘Why should we go out when we can have better at home?’
Oh, it turned out great. Mrs. L.A. says that if she wants good Mexican food up here in the PNW, I have to cook it. She’s been unimpressed with any of the Mexican restaurants up here. And her ‘test’ meal is chile relleno. She prefers mine.
I don’t know how many points I garnered, but she might brag to the brother of one of her patients if she sees him before he returns to L.A.
OK, that sounds immodest; but I do pretty well in the kitchen. Maybe not as good as some of the posters here, but we’re not going hungry.
You should try Maine. My god, those people have no idea what Mexican food is. There was one good one near us, run by actual brown people, but they got deported.
I love making Mexican food, but there is something about going out for all you can eat chips and cheese dip (which I know is more tex-mex, but it’s awesome, so mexico should adopt it) that is fun.
Mainer here also. There is absolutely NO GOOD Mexican food within the state borders. :mad: Although I have heard of some possibilities down Portland way …
