Here is a recipe I received from a request from the MC request list. No one here answered my request for it...so I thought I would share it with all of you so you can enjoy it too! We moved from Oregon/California and I missed getting this salad at El Toritos. I used feta cheese instead of what was listed, and I substituted 1 Tbsp diced canned green chiles for the fresh...tasted just like what we were able to get at El Toritos. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR GREAT RECIPES!!! Debbie, DW (from Florida)

EL TORITO SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD
Recipe By : El Torito Restaurant, California
Serving Size : 6

FOR THE CILANTRO-PEPITA DRESSING:
1 medium Anaheim chili, roasted peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas), roasted
1 large clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons grated Cotija cheese
1 small bunch cilantro, stemmed
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons water
FOR THE SALAD:
2 corn tortillas
Oil
1 large romaine lettuce, rinse and spin dry
1/2 cup grated Cotija cheese
1 red bell pepper. roasted julienned
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Roasted

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
Place chili, pepitas, garlic, pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and Cotija cheese in blender or food processor. Blend about 10 seconds, then add cilantro, bit by bit, until smoothly blended.

Place mayonnaise and water in large stainless-steel bowl and whisk until smooth. Add blended chili mixture and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate; dressing may be stored up to 3 days.

TO MAKE THE SALAD:
Cut tortillas into matchstick-size strips. Heat oil for deep frying and add tortilla strips. Cook a few seconds until crisp. Remove and drain. Set aside.

Tear romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place greens on 6 salad plates and ladle Cilantro-Pepita Dressing on each salad. Sprinkle each dish with Cotija cheese and tortilla strips. Arrange 4 red pepper strips like spokes on top of each salad and garnish with pepitas.

NOTES:
Delicious! It contains several Mexican ingredients such as pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and Cotija cheese, which are available in Mexican markets and some supermarkets. --Susan Watts, Palm Dessert

Update: Oct 1996:
The restaurant is making roasted red pepper tortillas. The salad had fresh red and green bell pepper dice that has been marinating in the dressing. COTIJA, also known as ANEJO, is a salty, crumbly white cheese, similar to feta in appearance. But cotija is hard enough to put into a blender. Romano or washed and dried feta are good substitutes. Cotija is hard white cheese that can be grated. Other substitutes are Cacique, manchego, panela, or Parmesan. The cheese must have character.)patH(

Source: Cook and Tell recipe swap column, Riverside Press-Enterprise