White tablecloth Mexican food? Let's discuss!

[Jenise]

There's a Cal-Mex restaurant near my house. Bland to the point of inedible. I can't understand how they manage that in a cuisine that has many flavorful, sharp, rich foods available to it.

You should try Mexican food in Washington: it's Cal-Mex watered down. If I were to open a restaurant here, a stepped up Mexican place would be an instant success. There are enough people here now who understand and crave the difference.

[Jenise]

I definitely vote for making sure Duck Tacos are on the menu. Yum.

Now, these may not be hi-brow enough, but brought them to our last wine group and they were a definite hit. I think they also looked pretty nice on a platter.

peppers.jpg

Chile Relleno Camarón (Shrimp Stuffed Guero Chile Peppers
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: appx 25 Peppers

INGREDIENTS
olive oil or cooking spray
oyster sauce
Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Green onions, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
25 small guero chiles (these look like yellow jalapenos)
2 lbs shrimp, raw, peeled, deveined

Directions
1. Prepare peppers by making a "T" shaped cut on the side, starting just below the stem.
2. Remove the seeds, core, and veins, leaving the stem intact.
3. Mince shrimp; add old bay, garlic, onions, and cilantro. (Pulse in food processor.)
4. Stuff peppers with shrimp mixture.
5. Arrange peppers shrimp side up on a shallow pan that has been coated with a little oil or cooking spray.
6. Brush tops and sides of peppers generously with oyster sauce.
6. Bake about ½ hour at 375 until cooked through.
7. Sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro.

Carrie, unfortunately I won't get a vote in what others bring, but yeah, there's nothing about the sound of duck tacos I don't like! The only duck I've had to date in Mexican food has been stuff I've made myself, and I haven't made duck tacos. I have made smoked duck tamales (again, inspired by Mark Miller), and individual tortas which were rather like a napoleon--tortillas, duck confit and an enchilada style sauce all stacked up. .

LOVE the stuffed shrimp, what a great idea. Thanks for suggesting it. That's on my MUST MAKE STAT list, if I can't find a way to fit it into the Supper Club menu.

[Jenise]

Yuh, I was always a little puzzled by the dull sameness of LA Mex too....

You might just possibly get hold of some banana leaves around there, Jenise. Be a good touch and a little Salvadoran in tone. Creamy sweet polenta with bits of marinated pork steamed in a banana leaf with just a touch of smoky pepper? Oh yeah!

I've already bought banana leaves to use just for decorative plating of the carne asada. Obviously there aren't any fresh ones around, but frozen is always available in the Asian shops.

Interesting that everyone had the same take on L.A. Mexican. The best were usually the dives, the kind that didn't advertise themselves as "family restaurants"--I remember a place near Fluor's L.A. office (before we moved to Irvine) with the improbable name Riteway. Basic but killer Mexican food and 10 cent beer. Draft, small glasses, but still only ten cents. Only way they sold it. Boy would we pile up the glasses.

[Jenise]

Carrie, those stuffed peppers sound so good I decided that me and my handsome sous chef will make these today for our "staff meal". Will wash them down with some champagne!

Here's a link to an interesting article in this week's Wall Street Journal food section on new developments in Mexican cooking...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... Collection
cheers, Bonnie

[Jenise]

Bonnie, thanks, interesting article and very germain to this discussion, in that the female restaurant acknowledges that higher end Mexican food is somewhat to new to Mexico itself. How did she put it, that before there were just cantinas and international restaurants because they were "a poor country".

I would think about two dishes with great platter presentations. The first would be a whole fish and the second a suckling pig.

Carrie, those stuffed peppers sound so good I decided that me and my handsome sous chef will make these today for our "staff meal". Will wash them down with some champagne!

How'd you like them???

[Jenise]

Loved them. The area I live in Is too white bread to have those yellow peppers and I didn't have time to drive further afield so I subbed the little cocktail peppers which are much sweeter, but they were still really great. The three of us had no problem finishing an entire pan of them.