Taqueria Corona: Cebollitas Fritas

The cuisine of New Orleans is incredibly diverse so finding a good meal is easy to come by. An authentic Mexican restaurant however, is much more difficult to find. Taqueria Corona filled that void in 1988 when Roberto Mendez introduced authentic, delicious, and inexpensive Mexican food to New Orleanians. Mendez's 10 seat cafe grew to a group of successful restaurants over the next 20 years and offers diners a diverse Mexican experience.

The menu features the usual enchiladas, tacos, and burritos but delicacies like pork, chorizo, and even tongue mingle among the usual chicken and beef. Queso fundido, arroz con leche, and flauta dulce can also be found, but the dish I find the most unique is cebollitas.

Incredibly simple, cebollitas are grilled green onions served with salt and lime. Thats it. It's a dish that I look for in every Mexican joint I visit but I've yet to find it (even here in California). Cebollitas are a great appetizer, side dish or even as a garnish. Enjoy this spicy, salty version at your own mexican fiesta! Ole!

1-2 large bunches of green onions (about 30 onions)
3 tsp vegetable oil
3 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1 pickled jalepeno (halved)
1 tsp jalepeno pepper juice (from can)
1 large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil

Line a shallow sheet pan with one piece of foil toss all the ingredients together and fold the ends of the foil together to create a sealed foil envelope so that the juice can not escape and that steam will build up around the onions.

Broil on high for 35 minutes. Unwrap the foil pocket exposing the onions (be careful when opening the foil as hot steam will escape). Add one pat of butter to the onions broil open for 5-10 minutes more until a desired char is achieved. Sprinkle with additional salt and garnish with lime.

Arriba Ya'll!