Chilaquiles Food

CHILAQUILES!

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet until oil barely shimmers. Heat your broiler to high and place a rack about 6 inches under the burner.
• Add tortilla pieces a few at a time to the skillet. Once they're all in, they'll overlap, but move them around and flip them with tongs every now and then and they'll fry evenly.
• When the chips are crisp and slightly brown around the edges, ladle in the salsa. If you prefer your chilaquiles on the crunchy side, go with 9 ounces. If you like it soft, as I do, go with 12.
• Reduce the heat and allow the salsa to simmer and absorb into the chips a bit, 5 minutes. Since they're fried, the chips will hold together forming layers.
• Arrange the softened tortillas so that you can crack 4 eggs evenly across the surface, one in each quarter of the pan.
• Park the pan under the broiler for 3 minutes or until the whites set. The yolks will hopefully still be a bit runny.
• Remove skillet and scatter surface with the cotija cheese and the cilantro. Deliver to the table and serve right out of the skillet.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Cut tortillas into bite-sized pieces or strips. Peel and chop the tomato. Carefully remove the stem and seeds from the jalapeno and discard. Mince the jalapeno.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet. Fry tortilla pieces until crisp. Pour off most of the oil, leaving just enough to cook the eggs. Salt the tortillas well.
• Beat the eggs; mix in the tomato and jalapeno. Add to the skillet of crisp tortillas and scramble together until eggs are done.
• Serve topped with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet until it registers 350 degrees F on a candy/frying thermometer. (If you don't have a thermometer, carefully dip the corner of a tortilla wedge into the oil. If it sizzles, you are ready to fry.)
• Carefully drop the tortilla quarters into the hot oil and fry, turning them halfway through with tongs or a spider, until crisp but not yet browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the tortilla quarters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
• Heat the enchilada sauce in a small pan over medium-high heat until hot. While it is heating, fry the eggs. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry until the edges are nice and crispy, a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.
• While the eggs are frying, assembled your chilaquiles. In a shallow 1-quart dish, arrange half of the fried tortillas in a layer. Sprinkle them with half of the cheese. Pour enough of the hot enchilada sauce over the tortillas and cheese to cover most of the chips. Add the remaining chips to the dish in an even layer. Top with the remaining cheese and more sauce. The amount you add here is up to you. You may end up with some leftover enchilada sauce depending on your preference.
• Top with the fried eggs and salsa of your choice. Enjoy while it's nice and hot.

CHILAQUILES ROJOS (TRADITIONAL MEXICAN BREAKFAST DISH)

Steps:

• Grill the tomatoes, chiles, garlic and onions until they have a slightly blackened skin. Do not burn!
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil with the blackened veggies until they are cooked through and soft inside.
• Pour the veggies with the hot water and a little added cold water into a food processor and process. Don't blend too much, you want the mixture to be chunky.
• In a large pot, heat up the oil until smoking. Then (carefully!) add a small amount of the sauce mixture and let it burn away for 1 minute (this is for a nice smoky flavor). Then slowly add the rest of the mixture and season with salt and some chicken base.
• Add the tomato puree for color, and mix well. Add the shredded chicken and cook until it is heated through. Add the cilantro. Add the chips and serve immediately on 4 plates. Top each plate with some sour cream, sliced onions, queso fresco and a sprig of cilantro.
• Serve with guacamole, refried black beans and pico de gallo on the side.

CHILAQUILES WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Special equipment: 4 individual casserole dishes
• To make the salsa:
• Preheat the broiler or oven to 550 degrees F.
• Remove husks from the tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove the stickiness. Put the chiles, garlic, onion and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Season with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put on a rack about 1 or 2 inches from the heat, and cook, turning the vegetables once, until softened and slightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and pull off the tops of the chiles. Add all the broiled ingredients to a blender along with the fresh cilantro and puree. Pour in 1/4 cup of chicken broth and blend to combine. Add more broth, if needed, for desired consistency.
• To make the chilaquiles:
• Pour about 1/3 cup vegetable oil into a large saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tortillas, working in 2 or 3 batches, and cook until lightly browned and nearly crisp. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and discard the remaining oil. Wipe the pan with a paper towel.
• In the same pan, add the tomatillo salsa and bring to simmer over low heat. Add the tortillas and cook until soft but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the mixture among 4 individual casserole dishes. Top with the cheese crumbles and onion rings. Drizzle with Mexican crema, sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
• *Cook's Note: Salsa Verde means "green sauce" and is typically made with tomatillos, green chiles and cilantro. Make your own fresh, or you can also find it canned at most supermarkets.
• Tomatillos are a small green fruit encased in a tissue paper-like husk. They should be used when they are still green, before they are ripe and the husk has turned brown. Before using, remove the husk, rinse and dry the fruit. (They do not need to be seeded.) They are found in most supermarkets
• **Cook's Note: Chilaquiles is a Mexican brunch dish invented to use leftovers. It is made with day old tortillas (cut or torn into chips) and salsa verde. They are cooked together until the tortillas are slightly softened. Chilaquiles are eaten alone or with beans, eggs or shredded chicken.
• ***Cook's Note: Queso fresco is a white, mild, fresh Mexican cheese with the texture of fresh farmer's cheese in the US. Queso fresco can be found in many supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online. It can be substituted with a mild feta cheese.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Gather your ingredients.
• Preheat a stainless 3-quart pot over high heat and a large cast-iron skillet, 10 to 12 inches, over medium-low heat; this will be your serving platter.
• Remove the stems and seeds of your dried chilies and toast in the pot, 2 minutes. Remove, then add oil, onions and jalapeno pepper. Soften onions, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stack and cut the corn tortillas into 8 pieces, halved across, and then cut into 4 equal wide slices. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake to deeply golden and fragrant, 10 minutes.
• To onions, add pimenton, oregano and garlic. Stir and add water. Let it absorb, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chilies back to pot with chicken or vegetable stock, tomatoes, honey and cocoa powder if using. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes to plump the peppers. Puree in high powered blender or food processor, and then transfer to large cast-iron skillet. Reserve any extra in an airtight container for enchiladas or more chilaquiles.
• Chop red onion, cilantro and thinly slice radishes with truffle shaver, sharp knife or mandoline. Crumble the cotija or queso fresco. Shred the Pepper Jack cheese.
• Add tortillas to sauce in cast-iron skillet and toss to coat. Top with cheeses and place back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
• Place 2 small nonstick skillets over medium heat (have some lids or foil on hand). Add a pat of butter to each pan, then crack an egg into each pan and cover. Cook until whites are solid and yolks still soft. Remove to a plate and repeat.
• Remove skillet from the oven and top with red onions, cilantro, radishes, pickled peppers and eggs.
• Serve the chilaquiles from the pan.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Mix together the tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and lime juice.
• In a saute pan, heat the butter. Add the tomato mixture, and then the eggs to the pan. Cook and scramble the eggs, then add the fried chips, mixing and folding all the ingredients slowly. You want the egg cooked and the chips still crispy, and the whole thing should be light and fluffy. Top with the shredded cheese and serve.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• preheat oven to 450°F.
• in a food processor/blender, puree the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro until smooth.
• in a large saucepan, heat oil over high heat, add cumin and coriander, and cook about 30 seconds.
• add the puree to pan, bring to a boil, and cook until sauce dulls and darkens slightly (about 3 min).
• season with salt and pepper.
• in a bowl, toss the chicken with 1/2 of the puree mixture, 1/2 the jack/cheddar mix, the farmer's cheese, and the scallions
• toss chips with remaining puree.
• in a rectangular baking dish, layer chips on the bottom, then chicken, then another layer of chips.
• top with remaining cheese.
• bake until cheese on top is golden.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Stack tortillas and cut stack into 8 triangles.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry tortillas in 6 batches, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on layers of paper towel.
• Purée salsa with 1/2 cup cilantro in a blender.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then cook garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add salsa mixture and cook, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk together sour cream, heavy cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Spread tortillas on a platter, then spoon sauce over them. Drizzle with sour-cream mixture, then sprinkle with onion, cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup cilantro.

CHILAQUILES II

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Carefully stir in the onion and tortilla strips. Fry until tortilla strips are crisp and golden brown. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels. Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.
• Over medium heat, return tortillas to the skillet, and stir in the eggs. Season with salt. Cook and stir until eggs are firm.
• Mix Mexican style hot tomato sauce and water into the skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Top with cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted.

CHILAQUILES VERDES

Steps:

• To make the salsa verde: Put the tomatillos, chile, onion, and garlic in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the tomatillos turn pale green, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Carefully transfer the boiled vegetables, along with the cooking water, to a blender. Puree for a few seconds to blend; be sure to hold down the lid with a kitchen towel for safety. Add the 1/2 bay leaf, oregano, thyme, salt, and broth. Continue to puree until smooth. You should have about 1 quart of salsa verde.
• Place a wide pot or pan over medium-high heat and coat with the corn oil. When the oil is hazy, pour in the salsa verde; it will bubble a bit. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and keep warm while you finish the chips.
• Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or countertop deep fryer to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 375°F over medium-high heat. Stack the tortillas and fan them with your thumb to separate. Cut the tortillas into 8 wedges like a pie.
• Working in batches, fry the tortilla chips, turning them with a skimmer or slotted spoon so they don't stick together, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chips to a paper towel-lined baking pan or brown paper bag to drain and cool. (Let the oil return to the proper temperature between batches.)
• To finish the chilaquiles, uncover the salsa verde and raise the heat to medium. Just when it starts to bubble, stir in the beaten eggs. Cook and stir for about 5 seconds, until the egg feathers into the sauce, thickening and binding it. Immediately add the chips, tossing gently until they have absorbed enough sauce to become soft. Take care not to break the chips. Sprinkle the Jack cheese on top and let it melt.
• Divide the chilaquiles among 4 plates. Sprinkle with the queso fresco, chopped onion, and cilantro. Garnish with the crema fresca and serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Blend tomatillos, onion, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, mint, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chicken to tomatillo sauce and continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes more.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Layer about half the fried tortillas in a 2-quart baking dish; spread half the tomatillo sauce over tortillas. Mix pepperjack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in a bowl; sprinkle half over tomatillo sauce. Repeat layers.
• Bake in preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Cut the tortillas into strips.
• Cook chicken with a little water, the quartered onion, a pinch of salt and two cloves of garlic. Cover, cook slowly over a medium heat.
• Remove cooked chicken from the pan and discard onion and garlic; allow to cool enough to handle.
• Sautee the chopped onion and garlic in a little olive oil.
• Once the onion is translucent, add tomatoes, cilantro and Tabasco sauce; simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes; salt and pepper to taste.
• Shred the chicken and add to the sauce; lower heat and cook for a few minutes to absorb some of the flavors from the sauce. Do not over cook.
• Deep fry the corn tortillas. When they are crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.
• Assemble the chilaquiles like lasagna. Use a large lasagna pan and layer the following: tortillas, chicken in sauce, thinned sour cream, cheese.
• Repeat layers and finish with cheese and sour cream.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F or the broiler to low.
• Add the tortillas to a medium oven-safe dish or cast-iron skillet. Top with the Salsa Roja and crack the eggs on top. Top the eggs with the cheese and bake or broil until the cheese is bubbling and just starting to brown. Garnish with the jalapeños, avocado, crema, and cilantro and finish with a fresh squeeze of lime and a bit of sea salt.

GUADALAJARA STYLE CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Boil tomatoes and chiles until soft.
• Mix them in blender with the garlic and water.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry this paste, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• Cut the tortillas in strips with a pair of kitchen scissors.
• Heat 4 tbsp of oil and fry the tortilla strips until crispy.
• Drain oil and add the three eggs to pan. Stir strips and eggs quickly so they don't stick to the pan. Add salt to taste.
• Place on a serving bowl, pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with onion and cheese.
• Serve immediately. Enjoy with a side of refried beans.