Creamy Enchiladas Verdes

Oh my goodness, I absolutely love Mexican food! It's definitely my all-time favorite cuisine. Honestly, I could survive on just chips and salsa, and a daily plate of enchiladas would make me the happiest person ever. If you're ever in the mood for some delicious Mexican food, this recipe will definitely satisfy your cravings!

INGREDIENTS

sauce:

• 11 tomatillos, husks removed

• 8 green Thai chillies

• 1 poblano

• 2 jalapeños

• ¼ onion

• 3 cloves of garlic

• ½ cup cilantro minced

• 2 sprigs oregano

• 2 tsp veggie broth base

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 tsp asafetida

• water

• salt

• 2 cups, half and half or cream

Enchiladas

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion chopped

• 1 poblano pepper, chopped

• 1 bunch of broccoli (about 1 pound), florets removed and sliced into small, bite-sized pieces

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp red chili powder

• ½ tsp hing

• 2 tbsp garlic, minced

• 6 oz baby spinach (approximately 5 cups, packed)

• 1 ½ cups cooked black beans [1 can (15oz) black beans], rinsed and drained

• 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• ½ tsp salt, to taste

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 12 corn tortillas

• chopped cilantro for garnishing

DIRECTIONS

sauce-

1. In a pot of water, boil the tomatillos, thai chilies, poblano, and jalapeños covered till the color becomes less vibrant. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the water, and set aside.

2. Fish out the Thai chilies, jalapeños, and poblanos, and set aside.

3. Blitz the onion, garlic, cilantro, veggie broth base, oregano, and chilies in a food processor.

4. Add the tomatillos to the mixture and blend, adding water till it’s your desired consistency.

5. Please be sure to taste for salt.

6. In a saucepan, heat oil and add in the asafetida. Mix in the salsa, and let it come to a simmer.

7. Gradually add in the cream, stirring well. Set aside.

the enchiladas

1. Preheat your oven to 400F and set outside a 9x13 baking dish. 

2. Setting flame to medium, add the 3 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet.

3. Add in your onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions begin to look translucent. This can take up to 7 minutes. 

4.  Reduce your heat to medium-low, and mix in your peppers and broccoli. Cook for a few minutes until your broccoli becomes more vibrant- a bright green. 

5. Stir in your garlic and spices (cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and hing). Cook for 30 seconds- to 1 minute, until fragrant. 

6. Mix in the spinach and stir till it's wilted. 

7. Transfer the contents of your skillet into a mixing bowl. Mix in the beans, 1 cup of cheese, and ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce—taste for salt.

8. Toast your corn tortillas over a skillet until warm, ensuring they don't tear when assembling the enchiladas. 

   • You can also shallow-fry

9. To the baking dish, grease it lightly. Add in ¼ cup of your enchilada sauce and make sure to cover the bottom. 

10. To assemble: add a ⅓ cup of the mixture to the center of the tortilla. Tightly wrap it, and place it seam-side down in your baking dish. Do this with all of your tortillas. 

11. Cover the top of your wrapped enchiladas with sauce, and top it with the remaining cheese. 

12. Bake for 20 minutes. Once done, garnish with cilantro and set it outside for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. 

13. Enjoy!