Chilaquiles Strata With Tomatillo Salsa And Tomato Corn Avocado Salad With Green Onion Vinaigrette Food

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.

FIESTA CORN & AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the corn in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender. Cool for 5 minutes and cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob with a sharp knife. Place the kernels in a large bowl with the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno peppers.
• In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chile powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss.
• In a separate bowl, gently toss the avocados and lemon juice together, making sure the avocado is coated in lemon juice. Add to the vegetables, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and carefully fold together without breaking up the avocados. Sprinkle with salt and serve cold or at room temperature.

CHILAQUILES IN GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce preparation: Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and boil the jalapenos over high heat for 15 minutes. Add the tomatillos and let them boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and add cold water. Set aside to cool down for 15 minutes. Then drain and pour into a blender filled with 2 cups water. Add the garlic and salt and blend for about 3 minutes. Strain.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Then add the blended ingredients, chicken broth and epazote leaves. Then boil for 15 minutes.
• Tortilla preparation: Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over low heat. Cut the tortillas in 4 equal pieces and lightly fry them until golden. Add the tortillas to the sauce while boiling for 10 minutes. Stir until cooked through.
• Directions to assemble: Place the tortillas on a plate (5 tortillas each plate). Layer each serving with half the sour cream, shredded chicken, queso fresco, onions and avocados. Serve with 2 eggs any style, refried beans and/or steak.

MEXICAN CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• For the Red Salsa, place tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic, and onion in a medium size saucepan. Cover with water and cook at medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes and peppers are cooked. Place the cooked ingredients in your blender with 1/2 cup of the cookign water to make a sauce. Season with salt and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and start frying the tortillas until golden and crisp in batches. You might need to do 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Drain the tortillas on paper towels. Repeat the process with the rest of the tortillas.
• Clean the skillet with a paper towel, turn the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the sauce and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add the Epazote and season the sauce with salt. Carefully stir in the tortillas to avoid breaking them. Add the chicken (if using) and coat it with the salsa. Cook for 2 more minutes.
• Serve garnished with crumbled cheese, cilantro, onion and topped with the cream. Serve with "Refried beans". Avocado is also a good addition to the plate.

AVOCADO AND TOMATILLO SALAD WITH CROUTONS

Steps:

• Cut bread, with crusts, into 3/4-inch cubes. In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add bread cubes shaking to lightly coat. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, reduce heat to medium low and toast croutons shaking occasionally for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Dice the avocados in 3/4-inch cubes, place in a bowl. Cut cherry tomatoes in half, add to avocados along with cilantro leaves. In a blender or mini chopper, place tomatillos, lime juice, vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, black pepper and blend well to make dressing. Lightly toss avocados, tomatoes and cilantro with dressing and when almost mixed add croutons, continue tossing until evenly mixed. Serve salad immediately on lettuce lined plates with sliced scallions sprinkled on top.

CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse the corn in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob, and place them in a large bowl.
• Toss the avocados with the lemon juice and add them to the bowl with the corn. Add the tomatoes, red peppers, onion, jalapeno peppers and lime zest to the bowl.
• Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

TOMATO AND AVOCADO SALSA

Steps:

• Mix together all the ingredients. Let sit for 15 minutes, in or out of the refrigerator, before serving.