Recipe: Garden Enchiladas

the appetizer:

Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables by Cathy Thomas, includes articles and recipes like Mango; Curried Turkey and Melon Salad; Garden Enchiladas; and Tabbouleh with Edamame and Kumquats.

Garden Enchiladas

Yield: 12 enchiladas

Tomatillo sauce brings a bright, tart edge and mild spicy heat to these cheese and vegetable filled enchiladas. The fresh corn lends a nice sweetness along with chewy texture. If you have an abundance of corn, double the amount of kernels used in this recipe and omit the squash.

Tomatillo Sauce

30 tomatillos
5-6 jalapeño chiles, stemmed
9 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1-1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Filling

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced yellow crookneck squash
2 cups corn kernels
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
1 tablespoon dried oregano or 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt

Assembly

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Prepare sauce: Peel husks off tomatillos and rinse with water; dry with paper towel, rubbing surface to remove any sticky film. Place on rimmed baking sheet(s) with chiles, garlic, and onion. Roast 10 to 15 minutes or until tomatillos are soft and begin to char. Place mixture in blender in several batches and whirl until pureed (hold down top firmly with potholder). Add salt, oil, and juice; stir to combine. Pour about 2/3 of mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish (use to dip tortillas); reserve 1/3 of sauce for topping in step 6.

3. Prepare filling: In large, deep skillet heat olive oil or vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Add onion, pepper, zucchini, crookneck squash, corn, and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened about 5 to 7 minutes. Add oregano and cumin, and season with salt to taste.

4. Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. Mist both sides of each tortilla with cooking spray. Warm tortillas on griddle until heated through, about 40 to 60 seconds per side. They should be heated enough so they are crusty on exterior, but still completely flexible. Dip each tortilla into sauce just to moisten.

5. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup of the leftover tomatillo sauce over bottom of dish. Place 1/2 cup vegetable mixture in center of 1 tortilla and top with about 1 tablespoon cheese; roll up to enclose filling. Place enchilada seam side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and vegetable mixture. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas (keeping reserved sauce for serving), then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

6. Heat reserved sauce for optional topping. Spoon a little sauce over each serving and serve.

Nutritional information (per enchilada): Calories 250, fat calories 120; total fat 14 grams, sat fat 4.5 grams, cholesterol 15 milligrams; sodium 320 milligrams; total carbohydrates 15 grams, fiber 5 grams, sugars 7 grams; protein 9 grams; vitamin A IUs 8%; vitamin C 50%; calcium 20%; iron 10%.

Cook's Note: If sauce is too thick, stir in a little chicken broth or vegetable broth.

from:
Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables
by Cathy Thomas
Wiley 2010
Hardcover; 336 pages; $29.95
ISBN-10: 0470371056
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-37105-3
Reprinted by permission.

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