Chilaquiles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our fall rains have started a bit early this year. Today was cold and wet enough to chill those of us who were outside when the deluge began. Once home, we set the first fire of the season and it quickly warmed these old bones that seem to be growing more cold sensitive every year. With the fire blazing and snug in a Northwood's fleece and wool socks, I set about making a lunch that would that would add some fire to our bellies as well. I decided to make chilaquiles (chee-lay-KEE-less) which is a traditional Mexican dish that is made with strips of fried corn tortillas, salsa and cheese. In some parts of Mexico, the tortilla strips are cooked in salsa until they start to soften, but there are exceptions to the rule, and in other areas of the country your plate will contain crisp tortilla strips that are topped with chicken, salsa, eggs and cheese. We first had chilaquiles while whale watching in Baja, and our introduction to them was the crisp fully loaded version. I still make the fully loaded variety, though I suspect the simpler version is more authentic. This is an extremely easy dish to make if you have the ingredients on hand. You'll need corn tortillas, salsa verde, chicken, eggs and cheese. Now, while you didn't hear it from me, rotisserie chicken and corn tortilla chips can make this dish even easier to prepare and just about as good to eat as the from-scratch variety. Refried beans are often served as an accompaniment to the chilaquiles and they add substance that will please those with large appetites.You can serve the chilaquiles with the same topping as you would use for enchiladas. The dish is quite filling and perfect for a fall brunch or lunch. Here is how they are made.

Chilaquiles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup canola oil
8 corn tortillas, cut into 3/4-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 tsp salt
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup salsa verde
Optional:
Shredded queso fresco, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 350 degrees to 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry tortilla strips in 3 batches until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes each, gently moving around in oil with a slotted spoon. Remove with spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season strips with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2) Carefully discard all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add eggs and cook over medium heat until scrambled, about 2 minutes. Season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Meanwhile, heat chicken and salsa verde in a medium pan.
3) Arrange tortilla strips on a large platter. Spoon chicken mixture on top, then scatter eggs on top of chicken. Garnish with shredded queso fresco, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Arroz Brasileiro - Brazilian Tomato Rice

Two Years Ago Today: Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Three Years Ago Today: Pickled Plums

Four Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Frosting

Beef and Bean Chile Verde

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a nice recipe to have at your fingertips when days shorten and leaves start to fall. Chile verde is usually a long cooking stew that's made with pork, jalapenos and tomatillos. This version, which comes from Eating Well magazine, is made with ground beef and a commercially prepared green salsa or enchilada sauce. That means you can have this tasty supper on the table in about 30 minutes. Is it as good as its long simmering cousin? Of course not, but this quick version is very nice and your family will enjoy it. I serve the chile over rice and pass cheese, scallions and sour cream at the table. Fire-eaters will also appreciate finely chopped jalapenos or pepper flakes that can be added to their bowls. If you are looking for a quick week night chile and have reasonable expectations of what can be done in 30 minutes, you'll enjoy this riff on classic chile verde. Here's how it is made.

Beef and Bean Chile Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Eating Well magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 (16-ounce) jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce
1/4 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed

Direction:
Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Fennel and Potato Soup

Two Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Pecan Bread with Streusel Topping

Three Years Ago Today: Albondigas - Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Huevos Ahogados En Salsa Verde + Tomatillo Salsa Verde

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While it is something I normally purchase, I made our salsa verde this summer. I wanted to control the heat the sauce contained for the young among us, and the only way that could be done was to make it myself. I found a recipe that that could be made hot or not and soon found myself making a batch of each to keep everyone happy. The sauce takes about 15 minutes to assemble and by controlling the number and type of chilies, I was able to make mild and hot sauce at the same sitting. I used stemmed and seeded jalapenos for the milder version but relied on Serrano chilies for the fire eaters in my gang. With so much sauce lying around I had to find ways to use the excess. While looking for recipes that would help me do that, I came across one for eggs poached in salsa verde and decided to give it a try. Conceptually, the recipe was very much like the one I use to make Eggs in Purgatory, so I suspected the dish would be quite good. It was. Because the eggs can't be made without salsa, today's post will feature two recipes. I'll start with the salsa and then move on to the recipe for the huevos ahogados, or "drowned eggs." Here are the recipes.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Recipe Tips

Ingredients:
1 pound tomatillos, husked
3 jalapeños - fresh, seeded, cut in half
1/2 onion - quartered
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup cilantro - chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Combine tomatillos,onion and jalapeno in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until al dente rather than soft. Drain. Transfer vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator. Salsa can be kept refrigerated, three to five days. Yield: 2 cups.

Huevos Ahogados En Salsa Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Michael Nankin

Ingredients:
3 cups tomatillo salsa, thinned to the consistency of tomato soup
4 eggs
Cilantro
Sea salt

Directions:
1) Bring salsa to a simmer in a small saucepan set over medium heat.
2) Carefully crack eggs into sauce. Cover pot and cook for 3 minutes. Remove lid and check to see if whites are completely cooked. If not, cover, and continue to cook until white is no longer transparent. Transfer eggs and a portion of the sauce to individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro and a pinch of sea salt. Serve with warm tortillas to mop up sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Salsa Verde Bake - The Sweet's Life
Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde - Simply Delicious
Skirt Steak Salsa Verde - Foto Cuisine
Chicken Enchilladas Verdes - One Perfect Bite
Lentil Salad with Salsa Verde - Food 4 Thought
Salsa Verde Pulled Chicken Sandwich - Closet Cooking

Shrimp Enchiladas Verde

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm always on the lookout for meatless meals, especially at this time of year. I came across a recipe for shrimp enchiladas in Family Circle magazine last week. I had homemade salsa and really fresh shrimp in the refrigerator, so there was no reason not to give the recipe a try. It was easy to do and I was really happy with the results. I followed the original recipe to a tee, but I wanted to try it again using frozen shrimp and bottled salsa before I shared it with you. I wanted to make sure that the quality of the the ingredients I had originally used hadn't skewed the results. I made the dish again tonight and can report that the enchiladas are a really nice weekday meal. I don't think they'll ever become anybody last meal request, but you'll be pleased with the results. The enchiladas can be on the table in less than an hour, and most of that hour is cook time. Here's the recipe for shrimp enchiladas with salsa verde.

Shrimp Enchiladas Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, Coutesy of Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium-size red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 medium-size green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1-1/4 pounds medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut in half crossways
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 corn tortillas
1 bottle (16 ounces) tomatillo salsa (such as La Victoria)
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp; cook an additional 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in corn, 1/4 cup water, chili powder and cumin. Heat through.
2) Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 11 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3) Wrap four tortillas in damp paper towels. Microwave 30 seconds. Brush one side of each tortilla with salsa. Spoon 1/2 cup shrimp mixture on each. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top with any extra filling.
4) Mix remaining salsa with half-and-half. Spoon over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Camarones a la Mexicana - One Perfect Bite
Thai Tamarind Shrimp - One Perfect Bite
Shrimp Cakes with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce - One Perfect Bite