Mexican Recipe for Chilequilles Vallarta
CHILEQUILES VALLARTA (improved!)
We used to eat Chilequiles at the El Dorado Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta when I was a kid. We sat in yellow and green chairs right on the sand and ate at low tables in our wet bathing suits. To this day, whenever I go to Puerto Vallarta, The El Dorado is one of my first stops. Even though the resort has grown astronomically and bears little resemblance to the sleepy village Nina, our parents and I remember from the ‘60s, the El Dorado is still there and it still serves some of the best food in Puerto Vallarta. And hey, there’s no way you can beat the location!
One of my favorite memories from the El Dorado dates back to the Christmas of 1967. We had just ordered lunch. My parents were discussing the concept of the empty nest. I could tell that my dad was worried about my mom being lonely as he anticipated Nina’s and my eventual departure for college. Suddenly he stood up. My eyes followed his until I spotted the cutest little black and white puppy I had ever set eyes on. It was under the pier, on a frayed rope held by one of two little Mexican girls. Within two minutes my dad bought that dog for $4.00 US, plus a few pesos to buy ice cream for the crying little girls. We named her Victoria, and she was my mother's shadow for the next 16 years.
Meanwhile, back on the beach, Victoria fell asleep in Nina’s lap. Our lunch arrived and we dug in. A beach vendor selling silver earrings, necklaces and rings diverted Nina’s attention. When she looked back down at her plate, her chilequiles were gone. Little Victoria, barely six weeks old, had scarfed the entire meal!
Chilequiles were, and still are, a favorite of mine. They’re served all over Baja and are offered on most breakfast menus as a local alternative to eggs and such. I maintain that you can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are that versatile! Oh, and by the way—Victoria flew home with us on Francisco Muñoz' Baja Airlines.
Unlike a pet on an American airliner, she wasn't treated like a piece of luggage and relegated to the baggage department. Instead, she napped on the seat next to me and chased my dad up and down the aisle, barking gleefully as he helped hand out sack lunches. This recipe serves six and it will make you think you're right there on the sand, within steps of that 80 degree ocean. Oh yeah!
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut in chunks
12 corn tortillas
½ cup corn oil
3 poblano chiles, roasted and cut in strips or 1 - 7 ounce can green
chiles, cut in strips
4 cups Chihuahua or Jack cheese, grated
2 cups canned enchilada sauce
1 cup crema, media ácida or 1 cup American style sour cream
½ cup media crema mixed with 2 tbsp water to thin out
Roast poblano chiles by putting under the broiler for about 5 minutes, turning frequently until blistered on all sides. Remove, put in plastic bag and let sweat for 15 minutes. Remove from bag, peel off skin and cut in strips.
Cut tortillas into one-inch strips and fry in oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Combine enchilada sauce with sour cream in saucepan. Heat thoroughly.
In a 9 x 11 pan layer the tortilla strips, chicken, chile strips, cheese and enchilada sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of tortilla strips, sauce and lots of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chilequiles are bubbling. Drizzle media crema sauce over each serving.
Cooking with Baja Magic Dos - Mexican Recipes by Author Ann Hazard
These are featured in Ann Hazard’ book, Cooking With Baja Magic Dos. The cookbook has over 60 new recipes with corresponding stories and all new art. Whether or not you have Ann’s original cookbook, you will want a copy of Baja Magic Dos! For more information on Ann and her Baja books, visit http://www.bajamagic.com or order her book from Amazon.com on the right.
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