Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Enchiladas Verdes

Green Enchiladas with Sweet Potatoes Recipeenchiladas verdes

I have a bit of an addiction to enchiladas! There is something about the combination of a savory salsa, melty cheese, and chewy tortilla that I find irresistible. I typically make a casserole, or baked, style of enchilada because they can be prepared ahead and they are just so delicious. Like a Mexican lasagna!

I began making them fairly regularly after moving to Texas, where I’ve found that while tasty, there are few vegetarian enchilada options at the restaurants (even the cheese enchiladas are covered in a meat gravy). Now, I’m not opposed to meaty enchiladas, but I don’t want to eat them all the time. Luckily, I’ve developed some really outstanding enchilada recipes that will appeal to both vegetarian and omnivore alike! Let’s start with my green enchilada with sweet potato recipe.

Enchiladas Verdes Recipe

2 cups of Salsa Verde (recipe available HERE)

½ sweet onion – diced

1 large sweet potato

½ lb sharp, aged cheddar cheese (like English coastal)

½ lb Colby jack cheese

18 corn tortillas

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method

Dice the sweet potato into ¼ inch cubes and blanch in boiling water for 4 minutes. Strain and allow to dry.

When the sweet potatoes have dried, preheat a large sauté pan on your stovetop on high. Add the olive oil to the pan, toss the sweet potato cubes in the pan and sauté until evenly caramelized on the edges.

fried sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shred the cheddar and jack cheeses.

cheese blend

Pour ¼ cup of the salsa verde into a 9.5”X13.5”X3.5” (3 quart) casserole dish to coat the bottom.

Heat tortillas, 4 at a time, in the microwave for 14 seconds or until soft and pliable.

Place a tortilla on a cutting board; add a tablespoon of onion, a tablespoon of sweet potato, and a tablespoon of cheese.

enchilada assembly

Roll the tortilla with filling into a tube.

enchilada

Place the rolled enchilada in the pan, repeat until the pan is full. Pour the remaining filling over the enchiladas, and top with leftover cheese and any remaining filling.

unbaked enchiladas verdes

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to caramelize. If you think that your cheese is melting too soon, you can tent the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.

enchiladas verdes

Enjoy!

Leftover enchiladas make for a great egg-on breakfast!