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Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa

October 17, 2013

My folder of “must try” recipes is bulging at the seams. I tear out pages of recipes from my food magazines and print out recipes from the internet determined to make them “one day soon.” Some day, I’ll get to those recipes, I’m sure of it! I’ll bet many of you can relate to this eccentricity of mine. This enchilada recipe never made it to that folder. After reading it I was determined to make it for dinner right away.

Pretty tomatillos hidden under their papery husks.

Roasted tomatillos, jalapeño, garlic and onions.

Velouté with tomatillo chile salsa.

These El Grande corn tortillas measured 7 inches across and worked perfectly.

Place a scoop of chicken-enchilada mix in each tortilla, roll them up and place seam side down. The original recipe from Tyler Florence calls for flour tortillas but we used large corn tortillas instead.

The scent of roasted tomatillos, corn tortillas and cheese filled the air while they were baking. Once they were done we finally had the chance to sit down and enjoy the enchiladas. The verdict – these are the best chicken enchiladas we have ever had. Since we hadn’t invited any of our friends over on this particular evening, we had leftovers for the next couple of days. The enchiladas were out of this world!

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa

Adapted from Tyler Florence’s recipe

Makes 8 large enchiladas

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 white onion, peeled and cut into thick slices

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled

2 jalapeños, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

juice of 1/2 lime

Enchiladas:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock (store-bought is fine)

chopped cilantro

1 deli roasted chicken, boned and shredded

salt and pepper

8 large corn tortillas

1/2 pound Monterey jack or extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation

For the salsa:

Broil the tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeños for approximately 10 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the pan to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still a bit chunky.

Enchiladas:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized, about 5 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for another minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn’t burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a velouté. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add 1 cup of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, and some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the corn tortillas – the traditional method is to briefly fry them in oil in a skillet until pliable. Cook’s Illustrated has developed a method that is faster and uses considerably less oil. The tortillas are arranged on a cookie sheet and lightly sprayed on both sides with cooking oil (Pam). They are then baked in a 400 degree oven for about 4 minutes. When done, let them cool and they are ready to be filled and rolled. Do not skip this step. It keeps the tortillas intact during the baking process.

Take a large baking dish (I used an 11 x 14 inch dish) and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Place a small amount of the reserved salsa on a plate and coat each tortilla lightly on both sides. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish and continue to do the same with the remaining tortillas. Finally pour over some of the salsa and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the best Mexican rice – Sopa de Arroz. We drizzled John’s Tomatillo Jalapeño Hot Sauce on the plate.

Canning, Mexican, Recipes

Jalapeño & Tomatillo Hot Sauce

July 14, 2013

Once a year, John plants jalapeños in the garden. This year he tried a new hybrid, Jalafuego and whoa! There were jalapeños coming from every which way. It is very productive, with beautiful fat peppers. It was time to bring out the canner and make jalapeño-tomatillo hot sauce. For a very spicy sauce use only jalapeños.

The little plants produced an amazing amount of jalapeños.

Jalapeños and tomatillos are cut into halves then roasted briefly. The sauce can be made with more or less peppers depending on ones tolerance for heat (supermarket peppers vary considerably which is why we grow our own).

Once roasted and charred in a few spots they go into the blender with the other ingredients for a quick whirl.

Garlic, cilantro, onion and fresh oregano all contribute to to the fresh flavor of the jalapeño hot sauce.

Once the sauce is processed in the water bath canner it will be shelf stable for up to a year.

8/26/16: Updated

Jalapeño & Tomatillo Hot Sauce

Makes 6 half pint jars

Ingredients

After roasting peppers and tomatillos, total weight should amount to 16 ounces. If you are a bit short just add a few raw peppers and/or tomatillos to total 16 ounces.

3/4 – 1 pound fresh jalapeños, halved lengthwise (1 1/2 pounds jalapeños if not including tomatillos, for a spicier sauce)

1/2 pound tomatillos, halved

1 cup packed, chopped cilantro, tender stems included

6 large garlic cloves

1 large onion, chopped

6 sprigs fresh oregano about 4 inches each, stems discarded

1 cup fresh lime juice

2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup filtered water

1 teaspoon pickling salt

2 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed)

Preparation

Turn oven on to broil. Cover a large jelly roll pan or low sided roasting pan with parchment paper. Place jalapeños and tomatillos cut side down on the pan. Broil for about 8 – 10 minutes, or until the peppers and tomatillos are well charred. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.

Combine lime juice, vinegar, water, salt and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Place jalapeños, tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, onions, oregano, and lime juice mixture in a blender. If your blender is unable to accommodate all of the ingredients, hold back some of the liquid and set aside. Puree all the ingredients in your blender. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan (add liquid you set aside earlier) and slowly bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat.

Ladle into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met (fingertip tight). Place in water bath canner and process for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, let jars rest in canner for 5 more minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Once cool remove canning rings and wipe jars clean before storing. Be sure to date the jars and use within 18 months.

This hot sauce is delicious with, but not limited to, all Mexican cuisine. A couple of our favorites are with scrambled eggs and on avocado sandwiches.

Mexican, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Creamy Avocado Dressing

April 10, 2013

This dressing is rich, creamy and tart with just a hint of heat. It’s delicious served in a salad of crunchy iceberg and romaine lettuce, black beans, chopped tomatoes and cilantro. I found this recipe on the Noble Pig blog. Kathy also adds crushed corn chips and shredded cheddar cheese to her salad. It’s a great salad to take to a party. Everyone will love it.

I also discovered this to be the perfect spread for a grilled fish sandwich. It goes especially well with any blackened fish (such as ahi). Spread the dressing generously on your toasted bun and top with grilled blackened ahi and crunchy lettuce or simply serve with a side of corn chips.

Creamy Avocado Dressing

Adapted from Noble Pig Blog

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 large avocado

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (or more) of your favorite hot sauce

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

The dressing will keep well for up to three days.

Dinner, Mexican, Pork, Recipes

Carne Adovada Tamales

December 17, 2012

It’s December and the weather has definitely changed. It is now pleasantly cool in the mornings and evenings. This slight change means a lot to those of us who live in Hawaii. After 6 months of near 90 degree weather we’re ready for a little break in the heat. With the onset of cooler weather tamales are the perfect dish to share with your friends. Recently I made slow cooked Carne Adovada. My plan was to have carne adovada burritos for dinner and freeze the rest for tamale filling.

Making masa dough is very easy. The recipe contains just a few ingredients and the preparation is not time consuming.

What’s a tamal without sauce and rice?

Carne Adovada Tamales (makes about 20)

Masa Dough recipe adapted from Epicurious

Carne Adovada recipe available here

Ingredients (Dough)

1 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 1/2 cups masa harina (about 17 ounces)

2 1/4 cups warm water

1 1/2 cups (about) chicken broth

Preparation

Fill the bottom of a deep pot with 2 inches of water. The pot needs to be tall enough for the tamales to stand upright while they steam. A pot with a steamer insert is ideal however a large vegetable steamer basket works just as well. If the vegetable steamer basket seems too low, prop it up with a few wads of crumpled foil under the legs so there is space between the water and steamer basket.

Corn Husks

Select the bigger corn husks and rinse them under cold water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and submerge the corn husks in the water to soften (for 1 hour). Place softened corn husks on a kitchen towel and pat dry. Tear off narrow strips to use as ties for your tamales.

Masa Harina & Filling

Shred your carne adovada, beef or chicken filling and set aside.

Combine masa harina with warm water.

In a large, separate bowl, beat vegetable shortening, salt and baking powder with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Beat in masa harina mixture in 4 additions. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups broth forming a soft, tender dough. If the dough seems firm, add more broth 2 tablespoons at a time until you achieve the right texture.

Spread about 1/4 cup dough in a 4 inch square in the center of each corn husk. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling in a strip down the center of each square. Fold long sides of husks and dough over filling (gather both ends of husk and bring together so that filling is covered by masa). Fold up narrow end (bottom) of husk and secure with a strip of corn husk. With another strip of corn husk gently tie around the tamale, about an inch below the masa filling (leave the top of the tamale open). Try not to tie too tight, the tamale will expand as it cooks.

Place tamales upright in your prepared steamer. Bring water to a boil, turn down heat and cover the pot. Steam the tamales for approximately 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until the dough is firm to the touch and separates easily from the husk. You may place a thin kitchen towel between the pot and lid to absorb some of the water from the steam. Check the water level occasionally adding more as necessary (setting a timer is a good reminder to check the water now and then).

Serve tamales with adovada sauce, rice and black beans. They freeze well.

Dinner, Mexican, Pork, Recipes

Carne Adovada

November 12, 2012

Most carne adovada recipes call for dried chiles which are not often found in most supermarkets. A simple alternative is to use a good dried chile powder (I like to use Hatch Mild Chile available by mail order from The Chile Shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico). Whenever I have a craving for adovada I can whip up the sauce in a half hour and simmer beef or pork in the sauce until it’s fork tender. Shred the pork and serve with Cuban Style Black Beans and Sopa de Arroz and warm tortillas. Any leftovers make a delicious filling for tamales.

Cook oil, flour, garlic, oregano and cumin.

Adovada Sauce.

Carne Adovada

Ingredients – Sauce

4 tablespoons oil

3 large garlic cloves, pressed

5 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 cans chicken broth (14.5 oz. each)

1 cup water

8 heaping tablespoons (about 3 oz.) mild chile powder such as Hatch Mild, combined with chicken broth and water

1 tablespoon Dixon hot chile powder (optional) combined with chicken broth and water

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Ingredients – Pork

2 1/2 – 3 pounds trimmed pork butt cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon flour

1 small onion finely diced, about 1 cup

Preparation – Sauce

Combine the flour, cumin and oregano in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the chicken broth, water and chile powder in a large measuring cup or bowl.

Heat 4 tablespoons of canola oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour, cumin and oregano to the pan mixing with the oil and garlic. Continue to cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.

Slowly add the chicken broth mixture to the pan, stirring well making sure there are no lumps in the sauce. Add the salt and simmer, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes on medium to medium-low heat until the sauce thickens up and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preparation – Pork

Place the cubed pork in a large bowl and mix in the salt, oregano and cumin. Sprinkle on the flour, toss to coat and set aside while you cook the onions.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, wide pot (I use a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft but not browned. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Add more oil to your pan and once hot, cook the pork in batches until nicely browned. Add only enough pork so the pieces are in a single layer and don’t touch each other. Cook the pork, undisturbed, until each piece is well-browned on one side, about 3 – 5 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. Remove pork to a plate and continue to cook all of the pork adding more oil to the pan as needed. Once all the pork has browned add it back to the pot along with the onions. Pour enough chile sauce into the pan to cover the pork generously, give it a stir and simmer on low heat for 3 -4 hours until the pork is fork tender and can be shredded easily. Check the pork each hour to ensure there is enough sauce in the pan, adding more sauce if necessary.

The ingredients are simple, and the finished dish is really, really good making for terrific tacos, burritos, tostadas and tamales. Any leftover adovada sauce can be frozen for several months.

*I highly recommend Hatch Mild Chile Powder (A Mild New Mexico Red Chile powder great flavor, gentle heat). Using a good quality chile powder will make all the difference in this dish. You can purchase a 1 pound bag for under $9.00 or a half pound bag for under $6.00 and it will be delivered to your doorstep!

Dinner, Mexican, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Side Dishes

Sopa de Arroz

October 16, 2012

For ages I have searched for a good Mexican rice recipe and I have tried and discarded many. My search ended with a Saveur magazine recipe. The staff of Saveur travels to many different countries and seeks out all kinds of wonderful people who share their cuisine with them. I have to admit that I have found more recipes that I love in Saveur than in any other food magazine. Saveur articles typically feature extended stories on the cultures and people who share their wonderful recipes. In this instance the dish was featured in a Quinceaneara feast (all over Latin America a girls 15^th birthday is a major celebration). These are usually rustic dishes that don’t call for ingredients too difficult to find. So here is a really good Mexican-style rice recipe from Saveur.

Pulse in your food processor.

Cook rice with tomato puree.

Add broth and cook, undisturbed until liquid barely covers the rice. In this photo the rice is almost at that stage with just a few more minutes to go.

Sopa de Arroz

Serves 8

Adapted from Saveur magazine

Ingredients

2 cups long grain rice

About 3 small, ripe and juicy tomatoes – skin and seeds removed, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup onion – coarsely chopped

2 small or 1 large garlic clove

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mild chili powder – optional (I use Hatch mild chile powder from New Mexico. It doesn’t add any heat to the rice however it does give a nice color).

Preparation

Rinse rice well in a fine mesh colander until water runs clear. Drain well, set colander on paper towels to absorb excess water. Set aside

Place tomatoes, onion and garlic in a small food processor. Pulse until ingredients are pureed. You’ll want about 1 cup of tomato/onion/garlic puree. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, wide heavy-bottomed pot that has a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. I have a Cuisinart 5.5 quart pot I use. It’s wide and not too deep. This is preferable to a narrow, deep pot as the rice has more surface area to cook. Once the oil is hot add the rice and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the rice is lightly golden, about 5 minutes or so. Be sure to keep stirring and don’t leave the rice unattended, it may burn.

Remove the pot from the burner and add the tomato puree mixture. Turn the heat down to medium low. Place the rice back on the burner and continue to stir for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and turn the heat up to high. Add salt (and chile powder if using). Give the rice one more stir and once the broth comes to a boil turn the heat down to medium – medium high (the broth should be bubbling). Cook the rice undisturbed and uncovered for about 7 minutes or until the liquid barely covers the rice and craters appear on the surface. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Set your timer for 20 minutes.

Once the rice is done, turn off the heat and leave undisturbed (do not open the lid) for at least 15 minutes. Take off the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

If you have leftovers, the rice freezes beautifully.

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