For an East Coast girl of Italian heritage I’m awfully fond of Mexican cuisine and seek out the real deal when I’m in a part of the country where it’s truly authentic, in other words not along the East Coast.
This is how I ended up at the El Indio Restaurant in San Diego which has been in business for over 80 years. I was visiting family there and heard they offered the real deal. That scuttlebutt was totally accurate – they do indeed offer masterful Mexican food. So when I read “Food Americana” by David Page and saw In the chapter “Mexican Food in the US” that this restaurant was highlighted’, I read avidly about the history of the place and its long-time owner/operators who produce “authentic Mexican food”.
“But how to define “authentic”, the author asks. He says, “That question is at the heart of a controversy that has raged for half a century. Critics of Mexican American cooking complain about this but the fact is that as with any cuisine, Mexican food in the US has evolved over the years. Recipes have been modified. Entirely new dishes have been created. In short, Mexican food has become a cuisine of its own – which is what has happened with virtually every cuisine imported into America.”
This book is the current selection of the Cook the Books reading/cooking group where participants cook a dish inspired by the reading selection and post about it, like I’m doing now. We thank the current host, Simona Carini of briciole , for organizing and publishing this round-up.
El Indio’s Specialty Taquitos
Ingredients
1 lb cooked chicken (either white or dark meat), cut up
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
3 tbs softened butter
1 tsp chicken broth
garlic powder to taste, they say ¼ tsp
chile powder, ground cumin or seasonings to taste
salt & white pepper to taste
1 dozen corn tortillas
large toothpicks
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
shredded lettuce
diced red tomato
salsa
vegetable oil for frying
Preparation
Season chicken eat with salt, pepper and garlic. Spoon mixture over a line across the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over this and roll it tightly. Secure each tortilla with a toothpick.
Fry each tortilla in a heavy pan at 350 degrees until crispy. Flip it over in the oil if needed to crisp up each side. Remove from the oil with tongs and pat it dry with a paper towel or set on top of paper towels to drain. Let cool before removing toothpick.
Open the taquito flap slightly and put salsa, cheese, lettuce and condiments into the opening. Serve with your choice of Mexican condiments.
