GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — We're driving down to Green Valley for a home-cooked meal straight out of New Mexico.
A family continues to make recipes they've had for generations, and this weekend, Goyita's celebrated their first year open at this particular location off I-19 and Duval Mine Road.
Mama Goya herself showed us how to layer two kinds of chile enchiladas.
Mama Goya Meza lived up to her name as soon as we stepped inside — a gracious host ready with soda, chips and hot salsa.
"The more hot it is, the better it is for me," Meza said, "because it's when I find that taste of the food." Goya Meza didn't discover her knack for cooking until she'd married her husband, moved to Silver City, NM, and learned the ropes from her in-laws.
"There's four generations in these recipes that we're serving right now," she said. "I'm Mama Goya that cooks 24/7."
For years, Goya ran her own place out in Silver City, so it wasn't a surprise when her youngest son, José Meza, told her he wanted a restaurant of his own.
"You marry that restaurant, you have to be there 24/7," she said she told José. "Then, he said, 'Mom, I want to. I want my dream come true.' In that time, we lived in Silver city, so I told my husband, 'We're moving to Tucson.'"
Like any caring mom and discerning entrepreneur, Goya laid out some ground rules for her new business partner. "You have to learn everything: from the kitchen, starting from dishwashing, to the line, to order, to be in front of the bar. In this business, when we're working, I'm not your mom. I'm your coworker," she said.
Ever since Goyita's gained loyal customers from their founding in Oro Valley in 2016, Meza's also become a teacher — passing on her knowledge to the cooks who churn out tamales for Christmas and the popular, classic New Mexico style enchiladas.
For our visit, Goya's first recipe was a milder green chile chicken recipe. "I like these colors," she said looking at the green enchilada sauce. "They give them a little different taste."
Each fried tortilla gets a coat. Our version's skipping the onions, but Goya did not skimp on the shredded chicken and cheese. One more layer on top with cheese, beans on the side, and it will rest in the broiler.
The next version, the spicier red chile beef enchilada, is a feast for both the eyes and tastebuds. "The color of this red chile is very bright and pretty because it's a sun-dried chile," Meza said. "It's a very special chile."
Three tiers of chile-drenched spicy goodness, complete with cheese and onions. "This is almost done," she said, before mentioning the final step. "I'm going to put on an egg, I'm going to fry the egg."
Consider either plate a good breakfast or lunch, but it may just be your lone big meal of the day.
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José Zozaya is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Before arriving in southern Arizona, José worked in Omaha, Nebraska where he covered issues ranging from local, state and federal elections, to toxic chemical spills, and community programs impacting immigrant families. Share your story ideas and important issues with José by emailing jose.zozaya@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
