Conner's Blog

This is a cross post from my recently launched food blog, Garlic and Onion.

So I failed at writing about my food experiences while I was in California. It was equal parts being busy, having a horrible network connection at the hotel, and not eating quite as well as I expected. I still ate really well, but it wasn’t the gastronomical delight I intended it to be.

So here is a quick run down of some of the meals I did really enjoy while I was in California.

Caterpillar Roll, this was very good, it had eel and some other vegetables I’m having a hard time remembering. The part that really stood out for me though was the avocado topping it. It was some of the best I had tasted. Buttery, flavorful, and really put this roll over the top. This was from a little strip mall joint that was within walking distance of the hotel.

Tacos, specifically steak and fish. The steak was kind of blah, not exciting at all. The fish on the other hand was really good. Mahi Mahi, pico, cabbage, lettuce, and a sauce that was just the right combo of spicy and savory. To top it off they were 2.25 a piece on Tuesdays. This was from Cronie’s sports bar which was the one place in town I found with extra innings so I could watch the Twins.

Seafood Burrito, this was from a little hole in the wall Mexican place across the street from the office. It was fantastic, a little dingy, an open kitchen, and a serve yourself salsa bar. The burrito was stuffed with rice, beans, shrimp, and fish. Topped with cheese and cheese sauce. It was huge, dwarfing the biggest Chipotle Burrito.

Richard Roll, tuna, lobster, and shrimp. Wrapped in sesame paper and deep fried. Serve with sesame, sweet sauce, and Sriracha. This was fantastic. I’d never had sushi deep fried before, and it was really good. It warmed the outside and gave it a satisfying crunch while leaving the fish perfectly raw and tasty. This was from another hole in the wall place by the office. I was the only one in there when I ate and ended up chatting with the chef about soccer. He was the one that recommended this roll.

This was my favorite meal of the trip. It was a cold seafood platter and it was huge. You had to have two people to order it and it was a good thing they make you do so. Calamari, oysters, mussels, shrimp, smoked salmon, king crab, and ceviche. It was really tasty. I also ordered a cup of clam chowder before the meal and that was really good as well. The place we were at was called Paradise Cove and it was right on the beach in Malibu. Nothing quite beats eating really good seafood while drinking a beer and looking out over this.

In the spirit of writing a bit more about the food I make, here is a simple, quick, and tasty enchilada recipe.  I got the basics of this recipe from a co-worker.  Her husband says it’s his favorite meal she cooks.  I don’t know if my first attempt made them my favorite.  But they are definitely going into my, “I need a quick comfort meal” recipe box.
Here is the basic ingredients.

• Can of enchilada sauce
• No beans chili
• Chicken stock
• Cheese
• Tortillas

That’s it, you can fill them with whatever you want.  I used some fresh chicken breasts I had picked up at the Wedge, marinated them for about a half-hour in lime juice and some Adobe seasoning I had purchases at Penzeys my first weekend in my new apartment.  I didn’t make tortillas like I normally would have. I was too tired having woken up at 5:00(CST) to fly out of Spokane earlier in the day.

The girl I got the recipe from said she soaks her tortillas in chicken stock before rolling them, I didn’t have enough stock, and didn’t feel like thawing out the stock I had in the freezer so I rolled them dry.  I topped them with Colby and Monterey-jack cheese and some green onions, baked at 350 for about 25-30 minutes, and served with sour cream and guacamole.  I’ll admit I ate one too many and they were just as tasty the next night.

So what do you think, will you give these a try?  Are there any other enchilada recipes you think I should know about?