when we met
he had
what i like to call
what i like to call
a food routine
minimally diverse
and
easily prepared
as i write this
i feel sorta bad
i suppose
there was a bit of steam-rolling involved
his beloved flavor-wave
relegated
relegated
to a dust laden storage bin
paired with
a slightly traumatic
paired with
a slightly traumatic
relocation
to a place
to a place
where winter is
a bit of rain
and
breakfast of fresh seasonal fruits
aside from everyone
being all up in his business
being all up in his business
he doesn't mind it much
unless
he is craving enchiladas
then
i hear how much he loved
i hear how much he loved
the spinach enchiladas in anchorage
how perfect
and creamy
and spinachy
i do like spinach
he says
in a tone more suited to love of chocolate cake
than greens
hubs is neither italian nor jewish
but
when it comes to
my play in his separation from
those enchiladas
those enchiladas
i
feel
the guilt
feel
the guilt
imagine my joy
when he came to me
with
the homesick texan cookbook
in hand
turned to page 155
can you make this?
was his query
was his query
spinach and mushroom enchiladas
with
tomatillo salsa
using the best wasilla accent i could muster
i tossed a
"you betcha"
right to him
spinach and mushroom enchiladas w/tomatillo salsa
from the homesick texan
4-6 servings
(printable recipe)
tomatillo salsa
1 poblano chile
1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed or 11 oz can tomatillos--drained
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1-2 serrano chiless, seeds and stems removed, cut in half
1 tsp lime juice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp vegetable oil
salt and black pepper to taste
roast the poblano chile under the broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. place the chile in a paper sack or plastic food-storage bag, close it tight, and let the chile steam for 20 minutes. take the chile out of the bag and rub off the skin. remove stem and seeds and chop the chile. place in a blender.
meanwhile, if using fresh tomatillos, on high heat, bring a pot of water to boil and cook tomatillos until soft, about 5 minutes. drained cooked tomatillos. (if using canned, skip this step.) place tomatillos, either cooked or canned, in the blender with the poblano chile. add the cilantro, garlic, serrno chiles, lime juice, chicken broth, and cumin, and blend until smooth.
heat the oil in a pot on medium low, pour sauce into pot, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. adjust seasonings and add salt and black pepper to taste.
Filling
1 tsp vegetable oil
10 oz mushrooms, sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 medium yellow onion--sliced
2 cloves garlic--minced
1 serrano chile, seeds and stem removed--diced
1 lb fresh spinach or 10oz frozen spinach thawed
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 ts cayenne
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
heat the oil on medium in a large skillet. saute the sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes. add a pinch of salt and with a slotted spoon remove the mushrooms from the skillet and place in a large bowl. add to the skillet the onion and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. add the garlic and serrano chile and cook for another minute. add the spinach. stir until it is mixed with the onions, garlic and serrano chile. cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until it is wilted.
remove the lid and season the spinach with salt and pepper. drain spinach mixture and add to the bowl with the mushrooms. stir in the ricotta cheese, lime juice, cayenne. cumin and cinnamon and mix well. taste and adjust seasonings.
For the Enchiladas
1 Tbs vegetable oil or lard
12 corn tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese--grated
preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish. in a skillet heat up the oil or lard on medium-low heat. one at a time, heat up the tortillas in the hot oil. keep them wrapped in a cloth or tortilla warmer until all the tortillas are heated.
take a heated tortilla and with tongs, dip it into the salsa. shake off most of the salsa, but make sure that its moist enough to be pliable. lay the tortilla on a place or clean cooking surface, add 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of it, and then roll the tortilla. place rolled enchilada in the greased baking dish and repeat with remaining tortillas. pour salsa over enchiladas and top with grated cheese. bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown and bubbling.
i tossed a
"you betcha"
right to him
from the homesick texan
4-6 servings
(printable recipe)
tomatillo salsa
1 poblano chile
1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed or 11 oz can tomatillos--drained
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1-2 serrano chiless, seeds and stems removed, cut in half
1 tsp lime juice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp vegetable oil
salt and black pepper to taste
roast the poblano chile under the broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. place the chile in a paper sack or plastic food-storage bag, close it tight, and let the chile steam for 20 minutes. take the chile out of the bag and rub off the skin. remove stem and seeds and chop the chile. place in a blender.
meanwhile, if using fresh tomatillos, on high heat, bring a pot of water to boil and cook tomatillos until soft, about 5 minutes. drained cooked tomatillos. (if using canned, skip this step.) place tomatillos, either cooked or canned, in the blender with the poblano chile. add the cilantro, garlic, serrno chiles, lime juice, chicken broth, and cumin, and blend until smooth.
heat the oil in a pot on medium low, pour sauce into pot, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. adjust seasonings and add salt and black pepper to taste.
Filling
1 tsp vegetable oil
10 oz mushrooms, sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 medium yellow onion--sliced
2 cloves garlic--minced
1 serrano chile, seeds and stem removed--diced
1 lb fresh spinach or 10oz frozen spinach thawed
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 ts cayenne
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
heat the oil on medium in a large skillet. saute the sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes. add a pinch of salt and with a slotted spoon remove the mushrooms from the skillet and place in a large bowl. add to the skillet the onion and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. add the garlic and serrano chile and cook for another minute. add the spinach. stir until it is mixed with the onions, garlic and serrano chile. cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until it is wilted.
remove the lid and season the spinach with salt and pepper. drain spinach mixture and add to the bowl with the mushrooms. stir in the ricotta cheese, lime juice, cayenne. cumin and cinnamon and mix well. taste and adjust seasonings.
For the Enchiladas
1 Tbs vegetable oil or lard
12 corn tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese--grated
preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish. in a skillet heat up the oil or lard on medium-low heat. one at a time, heat up the tortillas in the hot oil. keep them wrapped in a cloth or tortilla warmer until all the tortillas are heated.
take a heated tortilla and with tongs, dip it into the salsa. shake off most of the salsa, but make sure that its moist enough to be pliable. lay the tortilla on a place or clean cooking surface, add 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of it, and then roll the tortilla. place rolled enchilada in the greased baking dish and repeat with remaining tortillas. pour salsa over enchiladas and top with grated cheese. bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown and bubbling.
*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef