Meanwhile, in ElenaLand....

Where have I been? Well, I took a spontaneous trip to Baja Norte

And snuck down to Vince's - my favorite seafood restaurant in Rosarito: 

Their Seafood Kebab is my favorite thing on the menu. The shrimp! The lobster! The calamari - huge pieces of seafood brought in fresh from the ocean, just blocks away.

We also stopped at Ceasar's on Revolución in Tijuana - 

Revived by the Plascencia family (as in Javier Plascencia, and his father Juan José), Ceasar's is the birthplace of the Ceasar Salad. Named for chef Ceasar Cardini, they've been preparing the world's most popular salad fresh, tableside since 1927. You'll find the recipe on their website, but nothing beats having it prepared at the source. As for your entrée...I absolutely recommend the duck ravioli with red wine sauce. Dark Restaurant Photos are my nemesis, but I will take one for the team and return in the name of food pics!

Just up the street from Ceasar's is the Jai Alai Palace. I'll be honest, I don't know much about Jai Alai.  I do know it's referred to as "The Fastest Sport in the World", and that I enjoy this video of an exhibition game at the Palace from 1955 - 

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles...

My friend Faith tipped me off to the Molé Fries at Cacao Mexicantessen. Run, do not walk to this fabulous eatery in Eagle Rock. They also carry a large selection of wines from Baja's wine country, Valle de Guadalupe. 

Nestled between Altadena and Pasadena, you'll find the Oaxacan restaurant Alebrijes (1308 N Lake). Here's some of what we ordered: 

El Vampiro: beet, celery, orange, and carrot juice

Tlayuda Tradicional - a thin tortilla smeared with refried beans, cabbage, Oaxaca cheese,  tomato, avocado, and salsa.  We had ours with pork marinated in achiote seasoning. 

Chapulines - Yup, those are grasshoppers. "Chapulines" is derived from the Nahuatl word chapolin, and are most commonly prepared toasted with garlic, lime, and salt.  They are crunchy, sour, spicy, and salty. This was the first time I've had chapulines, and I would definitely eat them again. Just go for it and try not to think about it if the idea weirds you out. The earliest record of Chapulines as a snack is from the 16th Century, so if they've been around for that long, you will be fine. 

 

Now for what I've been making at home: 

BBQ Cheddar Croissant Dogs, inspired by the cheese dog at 85 Degree Bakery in Pasadena. Spread BBQ sauce on raw croissant dough, roll a hot dog up with the croissant, bake for 20 minutes in a 350F oven, sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes or until melted. You can't be fancy all the time. 

But sometimes you can be! Tonight's dinner was a quickly prepared baked salmon with balsamic mushrooms and roasted garlic polenta. 

Where are you eating?  Tell me in the comments below. To get live updates on my culinary adventures, follow me on Instagram @ElenaKimball! 

Achiote Roast Lamb, Papas Enchiladas, and The Queen of Tejano

(Amor Prohibido - Selena, Source)

You know her, you love her, and you definitely cry whenever "Dreaming of You" plays.  I always find myself reflecting on the life of Selena Quintanilla-Perez while listening to the ballad, and this year marks 20 years since she her life was tragically cut short. In this piece from All Things Considered, NPR Correspondent Cynthia Leonor Garza remembers that day and reflects on how Selena's personal style and fusion of traditional Tejano and pop music helped her connect with her Mexican heritage. 

(La Llamada - Selena, Source)

As Cynthia mentions, Selena was a trailblazer for women in Tejano music and is remembered for being one of the most celebrated Mexican American entertainers of the 20th Century. Between 1986 and 1995, she was named Best Female Vocalist nine times by the Tejano Music Awards and in 1994 she received a Grammy for her Selena Live! album. She also had two boutiques in Texas that sold her original clothing designs and offered hairstyling and manicures.  (Why couldn't I have lived in Texas in the early '90s??)

Today, she is remembered in many ways - from the Fiesta De La Flor (This April 17 & 18 in Corpus Christi, Texas!) to a recently announced hologram currrently in development.  Last week, my dad and I decided to team-cook a meal in honor of Selena's life and legacy.  

I made roast lamb using my own marinade of achiote paste, garlic, orange juice, agave necter, and apple cider vinegar. 

Achiote paste is a Mexican seasoning made from a blend of annatto seeds, Mexican oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, garlic, and salt. It comes in a brick and is easily found in Mexican grocery stores.

The annatto seeds that give Achiote it's beautiful red color have a nutty, sweet, peppery taste that compliments anything.  It will also stain your hands and counters, though not permanently. Just be aware! 

I let the lamb marinate for about 24 hours in the fridge and let it come to room temp before roasting.  Here it is just before going into a 350F oven for about an hour and a half until it reached an internal temperature of 135F. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the leg, so use a meat thermometer to ensure the lamb is cooked to your preference. 

Meanwhile, my dad and I got to work on the Papas Enchiladas.  We used a recipe he received from a cooking class at Northgate Market.  

Basically, you let potatoes simmer in butter and olive oil and add a very simple chile sauce composed of chile de arbol, garlic, and water blended together. 

Here they are just before serving. So garlicy, so buttery, and the perfect amount of spice. The recipe is easy enough to make regularly, which is great because who doesn't want chili & garlic butter potatoes all the time? Better yet, reserve the butter after the meal and put it on anything/everything.  And the lamb?

Beautiful.  See how the achiote creates a crust on the outside? That's. The. Stuff. I added onions on the bottom to elevate the lamb a bit more, and because the idea of onions roasted in the achiote marinade and lamb fat sounded incredible. It was. 

The marinade and potato recipes are below, but first I want to share one of my favorite tracks of all time, Selena's Cumbia Medley performed live at the Houston Astrodome. 

(Cumbia Medley - Selena, Source)

Turn it up, start dancing, and get cooking!

Achiote Roast Lamb

2 3.5 oz Achiote bricks

4 cloves Garlic

1/4 c Orange Juice

1 Tbsp Agave Nectar

1/4 c Apple Cider Vinegar

3 lb boneless leg of lamb

1 medium onion, sliced

Trim any excess fat from the lamb. Blend the achiote, garlic, orange juice, agave, and apple cider vinegar together until smooth. Coat the lamb with the paste and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

Allow the lamb to come to room temperature (about an hour) and preheat the oven to 350F. Assemble the sliced onions on a rack in a roasting pan and place the lamb on top.  Insert a meat thermometer through the length of the lamb (see photo above) and roast until done to your liking: 135F for rare, 145F medium-rare, 155F medium, and 160F for well done. 

Allow the leg to rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. 

Papas Enchiladas

15 New Potatoes

4 cloves garlic

1 c butter

1/2 c olive oil

30 chile de arbol peppers (They are dried and in a bag, usually near other Mexican dried chiles)

2 c water

Garlic and Salt to Taste

Poke potatoes with a fork and set aside.  Blend chiles, garlic, and water in a blender til smooth and set aside. 

In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the oil and pototoes, and season with garlic and salt.  Stir well, cover, and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. 

Add the blended chile marinade, stir well, and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. 

Enjoy!