Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Rick Bayless Project: Tomatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms

Success!  I have made it to week two of the Rick Bayless project without any delays, catastrophes, or tears.  Things are looking, and tasting, very good around here.

For those that missed the earlier blogs, I am re-creating (isn't that a fancy way of saying it?) recipes from the cookbook Mexican Everyday by Chef Rick Bayless.  My first recipe (re-created last week) was a complete success...I was hoping for a repeat this week, and I was not dissapointed during round 2 of the RB Project (cool new name I just gave the project...hilarious! I am so creative).

The recipe I chose this week was...drum roll please...oh wait, I already told you...oh well, the recipe was Tomatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms.  Super fab and yum-tastic!  I thought those tacos last week were good, but these saucy little enchiladas are my new fav. 

First let me say that I did stray (as I usually do) a little from the recipe.  Instead of fresh spinach, I used frozen organic spinach (well drained of course).  Also, because I had all of that awesome pork (hanging out in the freezer) left from last weeks recipe, I decided to use that instead of the chicken.  Finally, because I am a true risk-taker, I made my recipe with half corn and half flour tortillas and decided to bake them after they were sauced and cheesed.  Yum!

Another RB Project success story.

Tomatatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 jalapeno or 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and quartered
  • 10 to 12 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), husked, rinsed, and quartered
  • 3/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, olive oil, or bacon drippings, plus more for the tortillas
  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, such as button, oyster, or shiitake, stems removed and sliced
  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 10 ounces spinach, stems removed
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded cooked chicken, or cubed ham (optional)
  • Coarse salt
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 3 tablespoons Mexican crema, sour cream, heavy cream, or creme fraiche
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled Mexican queso fresco, or other fresh cheese, such as feta or goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a food processor running, drop garlic cloves and chiles through feed tube one at a time, pureeing each piece before the next addition. Add tomatillos and cilantro; process until smooth.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add puree; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has reduced to the consistency of a thick tomato sauce, about 7 minutes. Add chicken broth; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown. Add three-quarters of the onion, reserving the rest for garnish; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and chicken, if using; cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

5. Lay tortillas on a clean work surface. Spray or brush lightly on both sides with oil; stack in twos and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. Stack tortillas in a single pile; cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
6. Stir crema into sauce; season with salt. Taste sauce; if too tart, add sugar, if desired. Holding tortilla by one edge, dip into sauce, and then lay it on a plate. Spoon a heaping 2 tablespoons filling down the center, roll it up, and lay seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with 2 more tortillas. Top enchiladas with about 1/4 cup of the tomatillo sauce, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and garnish with reserved onion and cilantro. Assemble remaining enchiladas, 3 to a plate; serve immediately.

Yum!

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