Carnitas Taco Salad at Taquitos in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget
The rodeo is coming to Salinas, California the second week of July, so my daughter Florence Paget and I went to lunch at Taquitos, which is right across from the Salinas Sports Complex where the rodeo takes place on Main Street.
I ate a Mexican-American classic taco salad, which came with a choice of proteins. I opted for carnitas, roast pork that is cooked with bitter Seville orange juice and the rinds. The Seville orange juice tenderizes the meat and seems to rid the meat of greasy liquid.
At Taquitos, they place the carnitas chunks in the bottom of a large salad bowl, spread on a thin layer of refried beans, place a thick layer of crunchy and sliced iceberg lettuce on top of the beans, and finish it off with grated Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.
On the very top of the salad, Taquitos uses sour cream, juicy chopped tomatoes, and guacamole salad as dressings. The guacamole is also a salad made with chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Crispy, homemade tortilla chips were stuck in the various sauces. I have to admit, I love guacamole salad dressing.
I ate a third of the salad and made two more meals out of the leftovers at home.
Diners who like roast pork might enjoy carnitas in this salad or alone as a tasty introduction to Hispanic cuisine.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
