A satisfying suburban Monday at Taqueria Ochoa's

I've got this sweet little gig going on Mondays. See, now that w is back at work and I have C-boy to myself all day, I get to fill his head with all sorts of ideas. That foie gras is his friend. That baseball's St. Louis Cardinals are the spawn of Satan. That pots, pans, & plastic measuring cups will make the best toys ever. I think I may kstart reading aloud to him from Julia Child's "My Life In France". Got to start this boy out right, ya know? Then there is our lunchtime tradition, where we take the trek from SE PDX out to mom's work in Hillsboro so she can give him some food straight from the source, so to speak. The other good part of this tradition is w and I get to go to lunch at different places in suburbia...which is inherently a dicey proposition...made all the better by C-boy's newfound ability to sit quietly through the midday meal (I think he was just messing with us by starting this delightful new behavior right after we got back from France). So yesterday I was in the mood for Mexican, and had heard rumors of good things to be had out in the SW hinterlands. I put up a tweet asking for advice, and heard back from Nico who tipped me off to Ochoa's. He also forwarded me a link to a review from ExtraMSG's blog. w had seen some positive comments on Yelp, so we were in.

Walking into Ochoa's (if you Google it it comes up Taqueria Hermanos Ochoa's) you wouldn't expect much. The usual bright fluorescent lighting, tables and booths scattered around, garishly vivid red and white paint scheme, soccer games playing on a couple of TV's with the third TV tuned to Mexican soap operas. We got in line, where as you approach the order station/cash register there's a wall of pictures of what must be every dish they serve. Plus they have other written specials on notebook paper taped to the counter by the guy who takes your order. After reading Nico's tweet and MSG's rave about their huaraches with birria de chivo, which is slow cooked and shredded goat (pic left), I knew what I was having. w opted for the far less sure thing and had their chicken mole (pic below right). Both the mole and huaraches (with a Coke) came to a whopping $13. If this was good I wouldn't be able to afford NOT to go back! So we wheeled C-boy in his little Snap 'n Go stroller (man, I still can't believe I've become one of those people who wheels...happily no less...their kid through a restaurant. The shame......) over to a table under the soap opera TV, where all the cleavage-laden actresses look like they are just getting ready for their gig at a strip club, and who also seemed to hold some great fascination for C-boy's 4-month old mind, as he was smiling and giggling at the TV. Could be trouble later. Anyway, I wandered over to the salsa bar where they had four different, and very flavorful, house made salsas and some, unfortunately on this day, over-cooked chips for free consumption. The waitress (server/ expediter/ bringer of deliciousness?) soon came out with our plates of food (they hand you a receipt when you order with your number on it), and set before both of us were plates overflowing with south-of-the-border bounty. My huaraches, which are corn meal "sandals" were topped with a smear of refried beans and mounded with a savory, lightly spicy, and utterly tender pieces of shredded goat meat. It tasted somewhat like lamb, maybe a smidge more gamey, but seasoned so well. I loved it. w's mole was the real surprise. This is an iffy dish at most Mexican joints, where way too often it comes out thin, insipid, or poured out of a jar....or all three. Ochoa's version had real depth and loads of the spicy-chocolate flavor, and you could tell they spent some time putting it together. The mole was pooled around and atop a not-insubstantial pile of moist, tender chicken. It also came with several handmade tortillas and the apparently requisite....and very welcome...side of beans and rice. This was serious consumption, and considering my dish was $6 and w's mole was an insane $5, this was a crazy deal.

So very worth the drive, even with Hillsboro being this clusterfuck of old established neighborhoods, oddly placed strip malls, bad chain restaurants, and new, cookie cutter, tech-inspired housing developments. On a related note, a couple of weeks ago I went out and we got some takeout sandos (quite good) from the New Seasons in the Stepford Wives-like development of Orenco Station (which for the uninitiated is the most vanilla, unimaginative place I couldn't imagine living in. It feels exactly like a real life version of the town in that movie "The Truman Show") and we walked with Colman to Orenco's ridiculously named "Central Park". If the real Central Park in NYC had an ounce of self respect it would sue Hillsboro to quit besmirching its good name. So anyway, we're sitting on this open piece of overly manicured lawn surrounded on three sides by houses that look...with minor decorative details...EXACTLY like each other. I told w if you came home drunk...and you'd have to if you lived out there...you would never be able to find your house. On one end the "park" opens up, taking your eye out across an open, grassy field, and in a perfectly framed Hillsboro moment, in the near distance, rising like Big Brother and obscuring any possibility of natural beauty, is a giant Intel chip factory. Just so no one forgets who pays the bills around here!

Got leftovers? Not anymore: Tomatillo Verde Enchiladas

Sorry for the long hiatus from posting. Blame it on my MacBook Pro whose hard drive was grinding and clicking, and is now back to blessed silence after a vacation at MacForce here in PDX. Even with five days off of blogland, you can rest assured I've not gone hungry, so lots of enjoyable edibles are backed up.

The first thing that has to be shared though, are the best use of meaty leftovers I've had in a long time. In this case it was about two pounds of pernil...a crazily delicious Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork shoulder...from our dinner party a couple of Sundays ago that, thanks to our friend Shauneen's recipe sharing tendencies, were transformed into maybe the most awesome homemade enchiladas I have ever had. I have to say for enchiladas there was a fair amount of prep involved, but the reward is SO worth it. Plus like any new recipe, the second time through always goes so much faster. Meaning I can't wait for another chance to make these killer roll-ups. The roasted tomatillo verde sauce was freakishly good, coming together incredibly easily and so fresh and complex. The original recipe called for a store bought rotisserie chicken, but you could use any leftover meat, or for those of you of the vegetarian persuasion, a big pile of char-grilled veggies. It isn't about the meat/veggie part as it is the out-of-this-world verde sauce. Oh, and the leftovers reheated were about the best lunchtime treat, too. This great grub that I would serve to guests in a heartbeat!
*** *** ***

Chicken (or pork, or beef, or veggie, or.....) Verde Enchiladas

ingredients:
Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, store bought
Chopped cilantro leaves
1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups sour cream
Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, for garnish
Guacamole, optional

method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the salsa: On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Enchiladas: Meanwhile heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove). Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish, cilantro and tomato.

Serve hot with the remaining tomatillo salsa, sour cream and fresh guacamole, if desired.

But I don't like the real world............

The hard part about leaving a paradise like Playa Escondida is getting dressed to go, and realizing that I haven't had long pants, socks, or real shoes on for the last six days. I haven't even glanced at that long sleeve sweatshirt I wore to the airport when leaving Portland, and now I'm going back to.....that. Cold, wet, dark, while all around me as I sloooowly fill my bag is warmth, sand, sea, and sun. My flip flops seem to be mocking me as I tuck them into the bottom of my bag. Can you say denial? I've already asked for a late checkout. How much would it cost to delay my return by a day? But the truth is without the cruel reality of NW winters, all of this wouldn't have meant near so much.......
*** *** ***
First, setting the scene, my Playa Escondida (hereafter known as P.E.) hideaway is the lower unit of the middle palapa in this view from the P.E. beach. If you click on the link above, it is the Sol 2 unit. Two private decks, an almost outdoor shower to the left, peace and joy within.....

and this view from my bed when I wake up.










now to the delicious parts............













Sayulita Fish Taco and an example of their culinary art. Not bad for two bucks!



Chilling on the beach at Don Pablo's in Sayulita, sipping cerveza and about to slam a fresh camaron quesadilla.







Deliciously fresh & citrusy shrimp & fish ceviche tostadas at El Casteño on the Sayulita beach. A buck twenty each?? Crazy!!






And here's a hot tip for anyone visiting Sayulita anytime in the future. I was looking up information about a tiny town about 8 miles north of Sayulita called San Francisco (aka San Pancho) that I had heard good rumblings about. I read in an online article about how one family in the village owns all the fishing boats and they also happen to be the proprietors of a local restaurant that was reputed to muy bueno. Local fishing monopoly? Great restaurant? Obviously, if you know anything about me, that's all I needed to hear. I grabbed the first taxi I could to find out first hand how fresh it could get. Ten minutes and 80 pesos later I wandered the streets of SF and found the sign for their small open air restaurant called La Chalupa (fyi: a block to the south of the main street, about one block east of the beach). While I was sitting perusing the menu, munching some chips with bright salsa fresca and sauce picante that were dropped on my table, a bunch of burly looking guys marched through the joint towards a back area carrying several huge ice chests. Ever curious, and wondering if maybe they held the key to my lunchtime happiness, I followed at a discreet distance...well, six feet anyway....and right behind the restaurant they started tossing the days catch onto this table where I watched this father/son team of fish filleters make quick work of several delicious looking creatures. Taking my cue that lunch had arrived, I ordered the pescado fritto, and was treated to the best $11 lunch (incl. cerveza) that maybe I have ever had. The fish was brilliantly fresh, cruspy on the outside, moist, juicy, not at all oily inside. Served with tortillas for some DIY tacos, this was what I was looking for. Remember: San Francisco...La Chalupa...fresh fish...happiness.....

Pescado Fritto @ La Chalupa







The kitchen at La Chalupa.....I LOVE it when great food comes out of simple places.






There were several other honorable mention food moments. A plate of butter and garlic/ginger/rosemary sautéed shrimp at the Sayulita Café. An awesome fresh shrimp omelette at P.E., where the food was dazzling at every meal (dinner was always four courses for $25!). And finally, the best dinner I had all trip, not coincidentally also at P.E. ...in fact I ordered it two nights in a row...was a crazily good chile en nogada (right), which is a large poblano chile stuffed with ground beef, raisins, carrots, onions, various spices and smothered in a richly satisfying walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top, sitting on top of a bed of rice. Freakishly good. Nogada is traditionally a holiday meal in Mexico, and I've only had it a couple of times before and not for years. The P.E. version was the best ever.

In fact, if I could ever recommend a place to stay in Mexico, Playa Escondida would be right up at the top of the list. If you want privacy, beautiful beaches, great food, super comfy accommodations, and employees who seem genuinely happy to be working where they are, this is your spot. It's a 20-30 minute hike to town, and if you don't want to walk back, grab a taxi for 60 pesos ($6.00). Nova, Martha, Sergio, Manuel, and my man Alejandro (killer mojito, A!) were warmly welcoming, and when I got in the taxi to leave for the airport today, it was like leaving friends behind. Which I think is about as good as it can get.


Gracias, Alejandro....good luck in the future, amigo!








*** *** ***
And one of my favorite signs ever, from La Chalupa, on what to do in case of an earthquake. Near as I can tell, at least according to #5 making tea is not the thing to be doing right now, nor is doing a Michael Flatley "Lord of the Dance" imitation (#6). Ducking and covering never seems top get old (#7), and the age old advice to get your ass out of there (#9) always holds true!

Chicken, Avocado, & Tortilla Soup...Aye Caramba!

Is there anything better than walking into the house after a day at work and having the house filled with the fragrance of cooking soup? Let me answer that obviously rhetorical question with an emphatic NO, especially when it is this absolutely fanatstic Chicken Tortilla Soup that w's friend Sue turned her on to. This is a pretty awesome bowl of south-of-the-border warmth, especially on a cold, drizzly evening here in the NW. w said it was incredibly easy to throw together, which is belied by its rich, complex aroma and flavor that would make you think it had been cooking for hours. And the strips of tortilla that you throw in part way through act as a thickener, adding texture and feel, then the avocado and sharp cheddar take it over the top. This is definitely on the regular soup rotation. A great main course, it would also be a perfect first course soup at your next fiesta!

********************
Chicken, Avocado, and Tortilla Soup
serves 6

ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cups (64oz) chicken broth
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 4oz can diced green chilies
10 corn tortilla
1 1/2 lb boned chicken breast or thighs
1 firm ripe avocado
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

method:
In a medium 5-6 quart pan over medium heat, stir onion, garlic, cumin,
oregano, chili powder, and pepper until spices are fragrant, about 1
minute. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice) and green chilies,
cover, and bring to boil over high heat.

Meanwhile stack tortillas and cut into 1/8 inch strips. Add to
boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stirring occasionally.

Rinse chicken and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Peel avocado and thinly slice.

Add chicken to broth and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce
heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked (cut to test), about 5
minutes. Stir in cilantro and salt to taste. Ladle into soup bowls,
garnish with avocado and add cheese to taste.

Make "Our Kitchen" your kitchen!

How nice is it when you have a place you know without fail is going to make you happy? For GWB, it's the ranch in Texas where he can forget about those thousands of young Americans he's needlessly killed...errr, sent to fight the "terraists". For (ex)Senator Larry Craig, it's a stall in an airport bathroom. And for lovers of beautifully prepared authentic Mexican food in Portland, it Nuestra Cocina. My friend and confidant DOR recently found ourselves there for a long overdue dinner out, and chef/owner Benjamin Gonzalez's food once again absolutely knocked us out.

The crazy good qeusadilla and rockfish ceviche




For me the place to sit at NC is right at their kitchen counter, where you're about three feet away from where Benjamin and his sous chef are throwing your plates together. This is one of the best counters in town, you are right in the action...I love it! For me it is a must to start with one of their "traditional" margaritas, made with fresh squeezed juices. Always gets me in the correct frame of mind, and goes perfectly with the complimentary plate of freshly made corn tortillas and salsa. My usual, must have starter is their addictive sopes, but this time we skipped those dishes of goodness and opted for a couple of their specials, a qeusadilla filled with stuffed squash blossoms ad a rockfish ceviche that were both unreal. The quesadilla was a brilliantly conceived bit of seasonality, and the ceviche was citrusy and mouthwateringly fresh. We followed those fabulous bites with a trio of their carnitas tacos, and a filet of black cod on fresh sweet corn and snap peas. Again, too good, and fabulous to have Benjamin sourcing this great local produce and implementing it in surprising, and very satisfying dishes. For dessert, we worked our way though a mango upside-down cake and a chocolate cake with cinnamon house made ice cream. God, what a way to go. Happy? You bet your ass!


Black cod on summer vegetables and two delectable desserts.