Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verdes Food

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Prepare sauce: Heat water in large pot to boiling.
• Add tomatillos, 2 onion halves, 6 garlic cloves, and 7 serrano chiles.
• Simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then drain, reserving about 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Place solids in blender or food processor.
• Add remaining onion half, 4 garlic cloves, 3 chiles, the cilantro, and about 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
• Process until smooth.
• Heat oil in medium saucepan.
• Add onion slices and saute until lightly browned.
• Stir in sauce and season with salt.
• Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 30- 45 minutes.
• If sauce thickens too much, thin it with remaining cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, when the sauce ingredients are simmering, prepare stuffing.
• Heat 2 qt water in large pot to boiling.
• Add chicken, onion, garlic, and salt to taste.
• Simmer just until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool, then remove chicken from liquid.
• Remove and discard skin and bones; shred meat.
• Prepare tortillas: When the sauce is nearly ready and the stuffing is ready, heat small amount of oil in skillet over medium heat.
• Cook tortillas one at a time, turning once, just until flexible but not crisp, about 20 seconds each.
• Drain on a thick layer of paper towels wrapped up inside a clean cloth kitchen towel (or tortilla warmer).
• This will drain them and keep them soft and warm.
• Heat oven to 3500°F.
• Coat two 13x9 baking pans with vegetable oil.
• Dip each tortilla in sauce.
• Fill tortillas with shredded chicken and roll up.
• Arrange a dozen filled tortillas in each pan.
• Top with green sauce.
• Spoon creme fraiche (or sour cream) over sauce.
• Sprinkle chopped onion and cilantro over the top.
• Sprinkle cheese over all.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Broil briefly if the top needs some browning.
• Serve hot with refried beans.
• Note:.
• To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 26. Place rolled enchiladas on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze. Place sauce in a second freezer bag and place both bags in a larger bag. Seal and freeze.
• To serve: Thaw in fridge overnight. Complete assembly and bake as directed in recipe.

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
• Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.
• Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.
• Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.

ENCHILADAS VERDE

Steps:

• Place the chicken breast in a pot of water with 1/2 onion and 2-3 garlic cloves. Season with a little salt and/or a small amount of powdered chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked and shreds easily. Keep warm once cooked.
• Remove the outer husk from tomatillos, wash and place in a large pot of water with the serrano chiles. Bring to a boil and cook just until tomatillos change color to a dull olive green--no more than 5-10 minutes.
• Puree the tomatillos in a blender, adding the serrano chiles, and remaining garlic and onion. Add the cilantro and pulse until well blended. Pour into a saucepot, taste for seasonings, and add about a tablespoon of chicken bouillon powder if needed. Heat thoroughly, but do not overcook.
• Remove chicken from water, place it on a cutting board and using two forks or your fingers, shred finely along the natural grain lines of the meat. Keep warm in a bowl, and add a few drops of cooking water if needed to keep it moist.
• Heat tortillas on a griddle or in the microwave. Spread about a tablespoon of sauce on a tortilla, add enough chicken to fill it, roll up the tortilla and place seam side down on the serving platter or individual dinner plates. Repeat, placing enchiladas close together. Pour sauce over the enchiladas, and garnish with a few tablespoons of cream, some shredded cheese, the lettuce, tomato and cilantro. (Unlike enchiladas north of the border, these do not go into the oven--they are served immediately upon making.).
• Extra sauce can be used in other recipes.

ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• To prepare enchilada filling, combine chicken and next 9 ingredients (chicken through black pepper) in a large bowl. Spread 1/2 cup salsa verde in bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, crosswise in dish. Pour remaining salsa verde evenly over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sour cream, and garnish with sliced jalapeno, if desired.
• To prepare salsa verde, discard husks and stems from tomatillos; cut into quarters. Combine tomatillos, 11/4 cups broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and chopped jalapeno in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Cool slightly. Place salsa verde in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth or mash with a potato masher. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add salsa verde; cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 1 minute).

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADAS VERDE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic.
• When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
• Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green).
• Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed.
• Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.
• Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil.
• Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.
• Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.

ENCHILADAS SUIZAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the tomatillos, onion and both chiles in a medium heavy saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the tomatillos turn an olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer the tomatillos, onions and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Mix the Mexican crema and heavy cream together in a small bowl and season with salt. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side, using more oil if needed. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Place the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup of the sauce in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas in 1 layer, seam-side down, snugly inside the dish. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas. Drizzle the cream mixture on top and sprinkle the cheese all over.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and starting to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the tomatillos, onion, serrano, yellow chile and 3/4 cup water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and boil until the tomatillos turn olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos, onion and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Put the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas, seam-side down, in one layer snugly inside the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
• Drizzle with the Mexican crema and sprinkle the cheese all over. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Cover a large griddle with aluminum foil and preheat to medium-high.
• Cook the garlic, serrano peppers, and tomatillos on the hot griddle until toasted and blackened, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes for the garlic, 10 minutes for the peppers, and 15 minutes for the tomatillos. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool.
• Heat oil in a small, deep skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Using kitchen tongs, fry the tortillas individually, turning them once. They shouldn't be in the hot oil for more than 5 seconds per side. Remove excess oil with paper towels and keep warm. Remember that the hotter the oil, the less that the tortillas will absorb.
• Place the toasted garlic, serrano peppers, tomatillos, and the water in a blender and blend until smooth; pour into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Dissolve the chicken bouillon into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. The sauce shouldn't be too thick.
• Soak three tortillas in the sauce, one at a time, for a few seconds, fill them with shredded chicken, sprinkle the meat with some of the sauce, roll them and place them seam side down on a pasta bowl. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over them and top them with lettuce, cilantro, crema, and cotija cheese. Pour a little more sauce over the whole thing if desired. Repeat the procedure twice more. Serve immediately.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Snap the tops off of the dried chilies, and place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the water, and place chilies into a food processor or blender with the garlic and salt. Puree until smooth. Press sauce through a strainer, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Soak each tortilla in the sauce, then place in the hot oil. Turn over almost immediately, and fry for about 5 seconds on the other side. Remove to a plate that is lined with paper towels. The easiest way to do this is to fry the tortillas and stack them directly on top of each other until you have fried them all. This will keep the tortillas pliable until you are ready to fill them.
• Take one fried tortilla at a time, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of the queso fresco. Roll up, and place seam side down on a plate. Place three of these on each plate. Top in the following order: Start with a layer of sour cream, then a small handful of lettuce, three tomato slices, 2 more tablespoons of queso fresco, and finally, 1 tablespoon of green onions.

AUTHENTIC BEEF ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• In a medium size mixing bowl, add shredded beef and diced onions, mix well and set aside.
• In a medium size sauce pan, add the oil, flour, and chili powder. Turn to medium heat and whisk the ingredients together.
• Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to boil for one minute, then whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmering boil it will begin to thicken slightly after about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon sugar, mix to combine and then add about 1/4 cup of sauce to the shredded beef mixture and stir to combine. Set aside remaining sauce for enchiladas.
• In a small size skillet, add oil to medium-high heat. Gently add one tortilla at a time and fry to a semi soft stage. Dab each tortilla with paper towels to remove excess oil.
• As each tortilla is fried and dabbed with paper towels, stack them to keep them soft for rolling.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray with a nonstick cooking spray a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
• Lay (one at a time) fried tortilla on a flat surface, add about 2 tablespoons shredded beef mixture to the middle of the fried tortilla and top with about 1 teaspoon shredded cheese.
• Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the baking dish (seam side down). Repeat until all 12 tortillas are filled. (For best results, line the enchiladas into two rows of 6).
• Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the filled tortillas, and then add remaining shredded cheese evenly to the top of the sauce and top with the sliced olives.
• Cover baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and hot. Serve with sour cream, optional.
• Makes: 6 servings.