Cafe Rio Salad

If you live in Utah you know about fabulous, lovely, wonderful Cafe Rio, and if you are from Las Vegas you also know as the chain as expanded down there. I've tried a lot of mexican cafes and Cafe Rio is my favorite. I LOVE the salad (as does everyone else in the valley, which is why the line is very long!) And yes, I lived in Southern and Northern Ca. and this is the best mexican salad I've ever had.

I was chatting about recipes and food after a presidency meeting with Mary and Lisa and saying how I've completely filled a cafe rio punch card by myself a time or two.... they had made the salad and Lisa said the creamy tomatillo dressing was just like Rio's. So I decided to give it a try.... I was very happy woman.... It's heaven!

Rio's Salad comes in several versions: Barbacoa Sweet Pork, Fire Grilled Steak, Fire Grilled Chicken or Vegetarian. My favorite is Chicken. I have read over lots of recipes on line (there are tons) and experimented around and modified some things. For instance, all the recipes I've read call for cooking the chicken in a crock pot. While that works perfectly for the pork, what I love about the chicken is that it is marinated and grilled, not cooked in a crockpot. We've eaten it for dinner a lot lately! Yum.... I made this for a dinner party and just cut the tortillas with melted cheese into strips and layered all over the bottom of a serving platter, then built the salad up from there. It was gigantic!

Serve Salad in this order:

Tortilla goes down first. A raw tortilla you cook yourself tastes best (like the ones from costco) Cook and melt cheese on top. Lay on plate or a round foil tin.

Fire Grilled Chicken or Steak or Pork

Black or Pinto Beans

Lime Cilantro Rice (I skip this, because I want to eat my tortilla and not go overboard on carbs- but the rice is yummy)

Any combo Red, Green, Romaine lettuce, shredded

BIG sprinkle of corn tortilla strips (cut into thin strips and fry in oil)

BIG sprinkle of Cotija cheese or Parmesan

A few dollups of guacamole

Sprinkling of Pico de Gallo (opt)

fresh cilantro garnish

fresh lime wedge on side (so good squeezed over salad)

Creamy tomatillo dressing

Choose Your Protein:

Barbacoa Pork: (this came from a site that claims it's exactly the same as Rio's, but I haven't tried it)

2lbs pork

3 cans regular sugar coke

1/4 c. brown sugar

dash garlic salt

1/4 c. water

1 can diced green chilies

3/4 can enchilada sauce

1 c. brown sugar

Put pork in ziplock, add 1 1/2 cans of coke and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Let marinate several hrs or overnight. Drain marinade, place the pork in crock pot on high with 1/2 can coke, 1/4 c. water and garlic salt for 3-4 hrs. until it shreds easily, but don't let it get too dry. Remove pork, shred and drain liquid from pot. In food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (you can add more if you'd like) If it looks too thick, add a little more coke. Put back in crockpot and cook on LOW for 2hrs.

Barbacoa Pork Version 2: (Katie's recipe)

3 lb. pork roast

3 cans El Pato mexican tomato sauce (8oz. yellow can)

3 cans reg 8oz tomato sauce

4 minced garlic cloves

1 cup brown sugar

Pour 1/2 can Dr. Pepper into crock pot and cook all day (8hrs) Drain fat and shred. Add other ingredients and warm through. Add more brown sugar if desired.

Fire Grilled Chicken or Steak

2 1/2 lbs chicken or steak

1/2 bottle zesty Italian dressing

1/2 T. chili powder

1/2 T. cumin

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all together and marinate as long as you can stand to... a few minutes to overnight. Grill and slice. This has a really good flavor. You don't have to be exact with the amounts just add what you like.

Lime Cilantro Rice:

1 cup rice

1 t. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. grated lime zest

1 can chicken broth (15oz)

1/4 cup water

2 T. lime juice

2 t. sugar

3 T. chopped cilantro

In saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 min. or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice. Serve warm.

Lime Cilantro Rice #2 (I just tried this and it turned out yummy and was quick!)

In a saucepan combine:

1 T. butter

1/2 yellow onion chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

In large pot bring to a boil:

2 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 t. chicken bouillon

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1/2 t. ground cumin

1 sm. can diced green chilies

1 T. lime juice

1/4 t. pepper

Once boiling, add 3 cups instant brown rice, return to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 min. or until all water is absorbed. Stir in onion mixture.

Serves: 6

Black or Pinto Beans

Cook your favorite or open a can, drain and heat through if time is an issue.

Creamy House Tomatillo Dressing:

3 large tomatillos or 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatillos, which I use and love the speed!

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup packed fresh cilantro

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix

1 clove garlic minced

juice from 1 lime.

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash, quarter and broil until tender about 7 min. (or just open a can which is very good, pure crushed tomatillos, that's all that is in it)

Combine everything in blender until smooth. Chill.