Restaurant review: Burrito Brothers
205 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.
202-543-6835

Capitol Hill is known for prigs in suits, stumbling tourists, classic architecture and little else. It’s sure not known for its food.

Of late, a few advances have been made in the area, but in general, it’s a culinary wasteland. And don’t even try for a reasonably priced, tasty lunch.

One of the few edible establishment is Burrito Brothers, but only just.

Recipe: Scrambled eggs with Mexican flavors
From Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From the Heart of Mexico, Morrow Cookbooks

3 tablespoons lard, vegetable oil, bacon drippings, fat rendered from chorizo, or even butter
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 3 chiles serranos or 1 large chile jalapeno), stemmed
1 small onion, diced
1 ripe, medium-large tomato, cored and diced
8 large eggs
About 1 scant teaspoon salt

1. The flavorings. Melt the lard or other fat in a medium-size skillet set over medium heat. For a milder dish, seed the chiles, then chop them finely and add to the skillet, along with the onion and tomato. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened but is not brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Recipe: Green chile cheese puffs
From Good Food for Good Times

3/4 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped green chilies
1 cup grated jack cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for the egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Combine the milk and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Combine the salt, flour and cayenne in a small bowl. As soon as the milk mixture boils, remove from the heat and add the flour mixture. Place the pan back on the heat and cook for about 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides. Place the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, jack cheese and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick. Stir in the diced chilies.

Recipe: Margaritas for a Crowd
From Good Food for Good Times

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8 to 10 limes)
1/4 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 cup triple sec
2 cups gold tequila
Ice cubes
1 lime, cut in half
Coarse sea salt

Combine the lime juice, sugar, triple sec, tequila and two big handfuls of ice in a pitcher or blender. Blend or stir to combine. If desired, rub the rims of 8 glasses with the cut lime, then press the rims of the glasses into a plate of salt. Pour the margaritas into the glasses and serve.

Restaurant review: Taqueria El Charrito Caminante
2710 N. Washington Blvd.
Arlington, Va.
703-351-1177

Taqueria El Charrito Caminante isn't an easy restaurant to promote, at least not outside the Latino community. Visit at any time of day and it's clear that this hole-in-the-wall takeout counter sees a lot of traffic, just not many gringos.

And that's too bad. With the scarcity of quality Mexican food in Washington, this gem is a perfect introduction for the uninitiated to delicious Mexican fast food.

Recipe: Shredded beef salad
From Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, Shearer

Serves 6-8

3 pounds flank or skirt steak, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 medium white onions, cut into quarters
10 whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons sea salt
Shredded leaf lettuce
4 or 5 medium tomatoes, cut into slices
2 large avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into slices
6 tablespoons shredded panela cheese or other dry Mexican cheese
Corn tortilla chips

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped

Recipe: Ceviche, Veracruz style
From Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, Shearer

Serves 6

1 pound skinned black drum or redfish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (substitute red snapper, tilapia or trout)
1/2 cup lime juice
4 to 5 pickled jalapenos, drained (or fewer for a milder dish)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Leaf lettuce for lining dish
Avocado slices
Lime wedges

Place fish cubes in a nonreactive bowl and pour lime juice over them; toss to coat well.

Cookbook review: Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art

By Tom Mentzer
Scripps Howard News Service
Feb. 5, 2007

The history of Fonda San Miguel, a fine-dining Mexican restaurant in Austin, Texas, reflects the evolution of eating in the United States.

Soon after the restaurant opened in the mid-1970s, founders Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago were forced to import many ingredients from Mexico. They constantly battled stereotypes of what "Mexican" food really was, struggling mightily to translate their culinary vision: a north-of-the-border home for authentic Mexican cuisine.

Recipe: Mexican albondigas soup
From Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook, Workman

Serves 6

For the meatballs:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (1/4-inch dice or smaller)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup fresh break crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium-sized carrots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

Restaurant review: The Well Dressed Burrito
1220 19th St., N.W.
Washington, D.C.
202-293-0516

The Palm may be the most powerful lunch spot in Washington, but the Well Dressed Burrito, within spitting distance, is the most hidden.