From the menu of . . . Taqueria Los Hermanos, 3245 Peachtree Parkway, Suwanee, 678-600-8322; www.taquerialoshermanos.net
Q. I love the restaurant Taqueria Los Hermanos. There are several locations, but I usually go to the one off Lawrenceville Highway. Now that I am pregnant, I am craving their salsa specifically. I can't find any store-bought salsa that comes anywhere close to it. I would love the recipe for their salsa and their California quesadillas, my favorite dish. Thanks for your help.
Abigail Freiberger, Decatur
A. Miguel Romero, one of the six brothers behind the restaurant, told us that they created these quesadillas to pay homage to the great produce from the state of California where they honed their cooking skills. This recipe makes a generous amount of filling for the quesadilla. As Romero said, “This is not your typical flatbread-thick quesadilla!” At the restaurant, the recipe makes one serving; at home, probably two.
Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us and we'll try to get it. We'll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to svanatten@ajc.com and put "From the menu of – name of restaurant" in the subject line.
Taqueria Los Hermanos’ California Chicken Quesadilla
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch salt
Pinch ground cumin
Pinch black pepper
3 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup sliced button mushrooms, about 1/4 pound
Salt and pepper
1 (8-inch) flour tortilla
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, about 4 ounces
Cilantro, for garnish
Salsa, see recipe
A day ahead, place sliced chicken, half the onions and all the garlic in a plastic bag that can be sealed. Add 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt, cumin and pepper. Shake bag to coat slices thoroughly, seal; refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, preheat grill pan. Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done, about 2 minutes per side. Discard marinade and solids.
While chicken is cooking, in a medium skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil and sauté tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add cooked chicken and taste for seasoning.
Lightly grease a griddle or large skillet. Place tortilla in skillet and top with cheese. When cheese melts, add chicken and vegetable mixture. Remove tortilla to plate, fold in half, and cut into 4 wedges. If desired, garnish with cilantro. Serve with salsa.
Per serving: 587 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 40 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 34 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 100 milligrams cholesterol, 599 milligrams sodium.
Taqueria Los Hermanos Salsa
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Makes 3 cups
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomato
1/2 small onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 fresh jalapeño, seeds removed, roughly chopped
1 pickled jalapeño, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno juice
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
Salt
In the bowl of a food processor, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, fresh jalapeno, pickled jalapeno, pickled jalapeno juice and garlic. Pulse to combine, resulting in a chunky consistency. Taste for seasoning. Must be made at least 1 hour ahead and may be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Per 3-tablespoon serving: 21 calories (percent of calories from fat, 5), 1 gram protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 111 milligrams sodium.
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