Green Chile and Chicken Enchiladas

Tonight, I'm using previously-made Green Chile Sauce to smother traditional New Mexican enchiladas.  Unlike the familiar version of enchiladas, in which tortillas are rolled around a filling, in this version the tortillas are stacked and then cut in half before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup cooked and shredded Gardein chicken breast*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups Green Chile Sauce
• Cooking spray
• 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup crumbled vegan feta (such as Sunergia)

1. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute for 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Combine the onion mixture in a bowl with the chicken, salt, and pepper.

2. Spread 1/4 cup of the Green Chile Sauce in the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Arrange 2 tortillas over the sauce.  Top evenly with half of the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup Green Chile Sauce.  Repeat the layers - 2 tortillas, the remaining chicken mixture, and 1/2 cup sauce - and finish with the final 2 tortillas.  Spread the remaining 3/4 cup sauce over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with the feta.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cut each tortilla stack in half.

*If you can find Gardein chick'n strips, use those in this recipe, heated according to package directions.  Another option is to cook Gardein Tuscan chicken breasts and shredded with a fork to equal 1 cup (about 1 and 1/2 chicken pieces).  You can also cook and shred Match chicken, if that is your preferred brand.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1/2 a tortilla stack), Calories 227 

Tasting Notes:
I was a little worried while assembling the enchiladas, because the filling looked meager - but I need not have fretted one bit.  The end result was delicious - a wonderful showcase for the fresh cilantro and tomatillo of the Green Chile Sauce, great salty contrast from the feta, and wonderfully tender tortilla stacks.  My only change would be to increase the chicken next time... but not too much, so the Green Chile Sauce can still shine.  My only other complaint is that it was hard to dish the tortilla halves out of the pan without them falling apart.  Still, it will only affect the aesthetic look of the dish, but not the taste.

Rating:
4

Granny Smith-Green Chile Salsa

My New Mexican recipes from the past couple of nights are starting to come together now.  Use some of the Roasted Anaheim Chiles for this salsa; pairing the chiles with green apple is a great combination of tart and hot flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatillos (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup Roasted Anaheim Chiles
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1. Discard the husks and stems from the tomatillos, and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes, until tender.  Drain.

2. Place the tomatillos in a blender and process until smooth.  Combine the pureed tomatillos in a bowl with all of the remaining ingredients.

I found this salsa to be particularly great with Match pork tacos in soft flour tortillas. 

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1/3 cup), Calories 42 

Tasting Notes:
I loved the combination here, of crunchy, tart Granny Smith and tender, mildly hot green chiles.  The fresh lime juice was just perfect.  This was almost good enough simply to eat by the spoonful, but once paired with savory Match meat and flour tortillas, the salsa was even better.  

Rating:
3.5

Green Chile Sauce

Last night's sauce was red, and tonight's is green.  Here is the second of the two sauces that grace many New Mexican entrees.  If you don't feel like preparing an entree to go with the sauce, you can also use it for dipping tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

• 7 tomatillos (about 12 ounces)
• 1 cup vegan chicken broth (prepared from Not Chick'n bouillon)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup Roasted Anaheim Chiles
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 chopped garlic cloves

1. Discard the husks and stems from the tomatillos.  Cook the tomatillos in boiling water for 10 minutes, until tender - they will turn from a bright green to an almost-sage green as they cook, which is a fun transformation to watch.  Drain.

2. Combine the tomatillos in a blender with all the remaining ingredients, and process until smooth.

As with the New Mexican Red Chile Sauce I made last night, I prepared two batches of the green sauce tonight, in anticipation of upcoming recipes.  Stay tuned!

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1/4 cup), Calories 18

Tasting Notes:
Definitely my favorite of the two sauces - now I know to order my enchiladas "green" if I'm ever in New Mexico.  The broth was an unexpected flavor, and gave the sauce a creamy, almost velvety texture.  Great green, fresh flavor from the tomatillo and cilantro.

Rating:
3.5

New Mexican Red Chile Sauce

I'm continuing my exploration of New Mexican cuisine.  Last night I started things off with the simplest of all building blocks - Roasted Anaheim Chiles.  Tonight, I'm making one of two iconic sauces that grace everything from enchiladas to chilaquiles to huevos rancheros.  You'll get the other sauce (green) tomorrow, but tonight I had to go with the red sauce, in honor of the 4th of July. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup New Mexico chile powder*
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 and 3/4 cups vegetable broth

1. Heat the canola oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute for 4 minutes.  Add the chile powder and garlic; saute for 1 minute.

2. Stir in the canned tomatoes, agave, cumin, black pepper, and vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

This recipe makes enough for 3 cups, but I actually made 2 batches today, in anticipation of upcoming recipes.  For something simple, try the sauce over vegetables or vegan meats.  I had it tonight with sauteed zucchini, yellow bell pepper and Match chicken. Another fun option would be the chorizo from Yves Veggie, since chorizo is a common item in New Mexican cuisine.  The sauce is equally delicious drizzled over flour or corn tortillas with your favorite fillings.  

*The key to this sauce is the New Mexico chile powder - don't be tempted to use regular chili powder in its place.  If you can't find it, a better substitute would be 7 parts sweet paprika mixed with 1 part ground red pepper.  However, I found New Mexico chile powder with ease at Whole Foods, or you can order it online at www.chimayotogo.com 

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (1/4 cup), Calories 43 

Tasting Notes:

The sauce had a wonderful smokiness to it, and the sweet tinge from the agave nectar was a definite plus.  The heat was perfect - warm and toasty, rather than blazing hot.  It does have a slightly grainy texture, no doubt from the half cup of chile powder called for.  Since I've never tried New Mexican red sauce before, I'm not sure if this is always the case, or something to be improved upon - I might consider giving the mixture a whirl in the blender next time, to cut down on the graininess.

Rating:
3

Roasted Anaheim Chiles

I'm taking a little culinary journey over the next week or so, to the kitchens of New Mexico.  For the first few nights I intend to give you the building blocks (such as these roasted chiles), and then I'll build up to great entrees.

I had to start, of course, with the New Mexican long green chile, also known as Anaheim chiles, which are ubiquitous in New Mexican cuisine.  They provide the basis for Green Chile Sauce, and provide mild heat to stews or enchiladas.  Anaheim chiles get their name because they've been cultivated in the area around Disneyland since 1900, despite their origins in New Mexico, and should be readily available in most supermarkets.

Ingredients:

• 5 Anaheim chiles

1. Cut the chiles in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and membranes.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin sides up, and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Broil for 15 minutes, until blackened.

2. Place the chiles in a large zip-top plastic bag and let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel off the skins (which will slip off easily at this point, although don't fret if you can't get every last little piece), and chop.

Because you'll need to revisit these chiles for recipes I'm making in the nights ahead, consider making several batches at once, and storing the extra in the fridge or freezer.  You can refrigerate the chiles up to two weeks, or freeze for 3 months.

But tonight I'm highlighting the chiles, and I enjoyed them as a condiment over the new veggie beef burgers from Gardein.  You can also try rolling them up in a soft flour tortilla with your favorite taco fixings, for a simple supper.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1/4 cup), Calories 19 

Tasting Notes:

To be perfectly honest, the taste was not all that different from canned chopped green chiles, and was very mild in heat.  Still, I get great satisfaction out of knowing that my roasted chiles were homemade, since I am a proponent of cooking from scratch, and the taste was a bit lighter and fresher than the canned alternative.  A simple recipe, so it's worth keeping a batch on hand in fridge or freezer.

Rating:
2

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Believe it or not, I haven't had a cinnamon roll in a decade.  It was just before college, when I was still vegetarian, but not yet vegan.  After that, I was off at college with no way to bake cinnamon rolls in a college dorm, and vegan versions weren't yet readily available from a local bakery.  Even once in an apartment with a kitchen, I never got around to ordering any of the commercial vegan cinnamon buns, available, at sites like veganessentials.com, and never got around to making my own.

While it was time to remedy the lack.  Chocolate and cinnamon are two of my favorite things, as my fiance will laughingly tell you, so when I spotted this recipe, I had to give it a go.

Ingredients:

• 1 package dry yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 1 and 1/4 cups warm non-dairy milk (between 100 and 110 degrees)
• 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Ener-G eggs, divided
• 4 cups bread flour, divided
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup vegan sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sifted vegan powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Dissolve the yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar in the warm milk, and let stand for 5 minutes.  Add the melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 Ener-G egg.  Lightly spoon the bread flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Add 3 and 1/2 cups bread flour, the cocoa powder, and the salt to the yeast mixture, and stir to form a dough. Yum - chocolate dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes - you want the dough to be smooth and elastic at the end.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.  I haven't kneaded dough on this blog since the winter, so check out this link for a quick reminder.

3. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning so the top of the dough is coated as well.  Cover and let rise some place warm and free from drafts for 45 minutes - a closed, unheated oven makes a great rising spot.

4. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll into a 16x8-inch rectangle.  Brush the dough with the remaining Ener-G egg.  In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the dough.  Roll the dough up starting at one long side, jelly roll fashion.  Pinch the seam to seal (but do not seal the ends of the roll).

5. Cut into 16 (1-inch) slices, and arrange the slices, cut sides up, in a 13x9-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  While the rolls bake, prepare the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; drizzle evenly over the rolls.

Nutrition Info:
16 servings (1 roll), Calories 188

Tasting Notes:
Remember how, as a kid, any cereal was that much better simply if it was chocolate?  Well, this was the adult version of that.  Cinnamon rolls, but chocolate, so wow!  I wish that there was a little bit more of a gooey factor - more gooey cinnamon-and-sugar filling, and more drizzled glaze - but the rolls were delicious and made for an indulgent breakfast treat.

Rating:
4

Blueberry Cobbler

Happy July, and happy start to the long weekend.  I thought it best to start off the month with an iconic American dessert to serve over the 4th of July.  Cobblers date back to the Colonial era in New England; settlers tried to recreate puddings from back in England, but had to make do with a filling topped by a plain biscuit, due to the constraints of locally available ingredients. The dish gets its name from the "cobbled-street" appearance of the final product.  Serve up that bit of American culinary history when you serve up this holiday dessert.

Ingredients:
For the filling:

• 6 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup vegan sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

For the topping:

• 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 cup vegan sour cream*
• 3 tablespoons plain non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon vegan sugar

1. To prepare the filling, combine the blueberries, 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon rind in an 11x7-inch baking dish; set aside.

2. To prepare the topping, lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, the salt, and the baking soda.  Cut the butter into small pieces, and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse meal.  Stir in the sour cream - a very soft dough will form.

3. Drop the dough by spoonfuls over the blueberry mixture, to form 8 dumplings.  Brush the dumplings evenly with the milk and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon sugar.  Place the baking dish directly onto a jelly roll pan or baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes - the filling should be bubbly and the dumplings will be lightly browned.

*When it comes to vegan sour cream, I generally prefer Tofutti or Vegan Gourmet, which closely mimic the taste and texture of dairy versions.  For low-fat baking, however, I've discovered that We Can't Say It's Sour Cream from Wayfare Foods fits the bill perfectly.  At nearly a third the calories of Tofutti, it's an easy way to keep desserts light.  We Can't Say It's Sour Cream has an uneven consistency that makes it not ideal where sour cream is a garnish, but it works great in cakes and biscuits.  I find it most helpful to whisk the product smooth first, before adding to the recipe as directed. 

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 portion), Calories 288 

Tasting Notes:
The biscuit topping tasted just like the scones my mom used to bring home from the bakery when I was a kid.  So that was a delicious surprise.  The cobbler was tasty and bursting with fresh blueberry flavor, but I felt like the filling needed a bit... more to earn a higher rating.  Cinnamon, more lemon rind, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a dash of vanilla extract all come to mind.  As it was, a simple, basic dessert, and a nice way to end a warm summer evening.

Rating:
3.5