8 corn tortillas (preferably bought the day before and left out to go stale)
1 or 2 serrano peppers (depending on how hot you like it)
3/4 C. oil
2 tomatoes, cooked (boiled or roasted)
1 pinch oregano
1/2 C. farmer's or Manchego cheese
2 Tbsp.. chopped onion
1/2C cream
salt to taste
Water
Preparation:
Cut the tortillas into 1" x 1" squares and, if possible, let them sit out a day before making this dish so they can get a bit stale.
Grind the tomatoes in a blender with the oregano, peppers, salt and water as needed to loosen the blades (about 1/3 cup) until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the tortilla chips until crisp and golden (I recommend doing this in batches), then remove and drain on paper toweling.
Drain the oil, reserving 2 Tbsp., and save the remainder for another occasion.
In the same skillet heat the reserved 2 Tbsp. oil and add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the tortilla chips and remove from the heat. Add the cheese and allow it to melt.
Serve hot, top with onions and cream and accompany with well-fried beans.
Chilaquiles with Red Sauce
Ingredients:
dried ancho or pasilla peppers
3 or4 cloves of garlic
1 large chicken
1 white onion
couple stalks of celery
1 carrot
15 soft corn tortillas (preferably a day old)
1 cup of chili sauce
1 cup of chicken broth (you can substitute consomme)
1/2 cup of grated white onion
1/2 cup of roughly grated Mexican cheese such as Manchego
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of shredded chicken
15 soft corn tortillas (preferably a day old)
1 cup of chili sauce
1 cup of chicken broth (you can substitute consomme)
1/2 cup of grated white onion
1/2 cup of roughly grated Mexican cheese such as Manchego
(Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella can be substituted)
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of shredded chicken
How to Prepare:
Cut the day old tortillas into triangles or strips. I prefer strips because they get crisper when cooked.
Look in your supermarket or specialty food store for dried ancho or pasilla peppers. They won't look like much until you start to work with them so don't despair. (If you can't find these peppers in your supermarket don't worry. You can substitute canned enchilada sauce or, in a real pinch, I have tried with modest success, adding four tablespoons of chili powder, one clove of garlic to 2 cups of water and simmering until the chili powder is dissolved).
Place 4 or 5 ancho or pasilla peppers, or a combination of both, in a pan with 2 cups of water and one clove of garlic. Bring the water to a boil, cover, turn off the flame and let sit for at least 20 minutes or until soft while you're getting the other ingredients ready.
Buy a nice, fat chicken. Cover it with cold water, add a large coarsely chopped white onion, a nice sized sliced carrot, a couple stalks of chopped celery and 2 or 3 cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and the meat separates easily from the bone. Salt and pepper to taste.
While the chicken is doing its thing, have a margarita or a glass of iced tea, put your feet up and think about what a great meal you're going to have.
When the chicken is just about done it's time to begin making the sauce. Incidentally, this sauce can be made in quarts and it keeps almost forever in the refrigerator. You'll discover there are lots of things you can use it for, including great chili beans without meat.
Put the peppers, garlic and the water you boiled them in into a blender and blend until the sauce is smooth. Add salt to taste. Now that the sauce is made you can began assembling the rest of the ingredients.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. I like cooking with peanut oil. Brown the strips or triangles in batches until they are crisp. Drain and place them in a casserole with the shredded chicken.
Pour the pepper sauce over the tortillas and chicken and toss. Sprinkle the cheese and onion over the mixture and top with the sour cream. Serve immediately with refried beans and guacamole.
You can hold this dish in a warm oven, however the tortillas will be less crisp. If you want this dish to be a little lighter or perhaps serve it for a special breakfast, you can leave out the shredded chicken.
If you want to dine on the wild side you can add a hot pepper such as an habanero, serrano or jalapeno. Also, this wonderful dish with the chicken can become tortilla soup. Just add the appropriate amount of chicken broth and top with the sour
EASY CHILES RELLENOS
(Cheese-Stuffed Green Chile Omelets)
Serving Size: 1
Categories: Mexican, Side Dish, Vegetable
For each chile relleno prepared:
1 large egg, separated
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
pinch salt
1 tsp. flour
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 whole green chile (canned, roasted, peeled, seeded Anaheim chiles aka ortega chiles)
1 monterey jack cheese, cut to the size of an index finger
1/2 C. enchilada sauce, canned
1/4 C. finely shredded monterey jack and colby cheeses (sold packaged as Mexican-style cheese)
Separate egg(s). Add salt and cream of tartar to egg white(s) -- beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Add flour and water to egg yolk(s) -- mix until smoothly blended. Fold egg yolk mixture into beaten egg white(s).
Melt butter in 7" saute pan, coating bottom and sides. Heat pan over medium-high heat until butter begins to brown. Add egg mixture to heated saute pan, forming an even layer. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until edges of omelet begin to brown. If desired, lift edge of omelet gently with a spoon to see if bottom of omelet is golden brown. DO NOT be concerned that the top of the omelet is not set. Slide a spoon around edges of saute pan to loosen omelet. Stuff the chile with the sliver of cheese and place stuffed chile on center of omelet.
Fold one edge of the omelet over the stuffed chile using a spatula and roll the chile inside the omelet in the manner of a flattened crepe. Lift or slide omelet onto a microwave-safe plate.
Spoon enchilada sauce over omelet and sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese. Microwave on HIGH until cheese topping is completely melted (about three minutes).
Serve immediately.
If desired, the stuffed omelets may be prepared in advance and refrigerated. When doing this, "set" the omelet(s) minus sauce and cheese topping by microwaving on HIGH for one minute, then refrigerate.
Cover chile(s) relleno(s) with enchilada sauce and shredded cheese when ready to reheat and serve.