Chilla Quillas Food

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.

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.

CHILLA QUILLAS

Steps:

• In a large frying pan pour the oil and set to medium high heat. I like to add a few popcorn kernels to tell me when the oil is ready.
• Once the oil is hot add the tortilla squares and fry till almost crisp.
• Turn off the stove and with a slotted spoon remove the squares onto a paper towel lined plate or bowl.
• While the oil cools shred the chicken and cheese.
• Empty out the oil from the pan and return the tortillas to the pan, spread the shredded chicken over the tortillas.
• Then pour the enchilada sauce over the chicken and tortillas and gently fold into each other till the chicken and tortillas are well coated with enchilada sauce.
• Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture.
• Over medium-low heat allow the chilla quillas to heat through and the cheese to melt. Once the sauce is bubbling and cheese is completely melted your meal is ready to serve.

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 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 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.