...not to mention lime juice and cilantro. A lime is called un citron vert in French, and the word for cilantro is coriandre, which is a feminine noun. These are foods that I enjoy eating when the weather is gray and damp, and also when the weather is hot and sunny. Chili powder, hot spicy salsa, and guacamole dress up and improve these, which are my take on Mexican enchiladas. We had them for lunch on Tuesday, when Walt got back from his errands in the south suburbs of Blois bearing gifts acquired at the Grand Frais produce and exotic grocery store up there.
As a simple guacamole, peel and mash the avocado flesh with a little chili powder, some diced tomato, lime juice,
salt, and pepper. Fill four corn or wheat tortillas, roll them up, and arrange them in a puddle of spicy enchilada sauce
in a baking dish. Spoon some more sauce on top along with a layer of grated cheese. Pop them in the oven.
The dish I cooked the enchiladas in is one that CHM gave us a decade ago. I use it all the time.
Filll the tortillas with what, though? I slow-cooked a boneless, skinless turkey breast filet seasoned with chili powder, smoked paprika, allpice powder, cumin, thyme, bay leaf, and other spices and herbs. After it cooked for two hours,
I shredded and chopped the meat, and then mixed it with enchilada sauce, cooked lentils, and steamed rice.
At the table, we squeezed some lime juice and sprinkled some cilantro leaves over the cooked enchiladas,
and we enjoyed our lunch. I have filling left over so we'll have some more tomorrow...
Yummy! What would life be without Mexican foods? I can remember that life well, it was chicken, ham and hamburger mostly in my childhood. Then I heard about pizza, then came the chinese restaurant and last of all the Mexican food. We had tacos last night with rice and beans, your dinner looks better...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure yours was good, and I know ours was. I remember ham, chicken, pork'n'beans, and hamburgers in the 1950s and '60s. At some point Chef Boyardee spaghetti or pizza came along. It wasn't until I came to France in 1970 that I started understanding a wider range of good food. Food in NC could be good but it was not like French food.
DeleteThose enchiladas look pretty great. Nothing like a little Mexican food on a chilly day and in France you have a jackpot of cheeses to choose from for your topping. I'm particularly fond of mole sauce. And I always wondered what the difference is between cilantro and coriander, as I hear both words used here. I guess there is none! I still remember fondly the little Mexican restaurant that chm took us to in Salton City. That was a nice day.
ReplyDeleteI think I know which restaurant in Salton City you are talking about. I liked that place too. As for cheese, I used Cantal from the Auvergne region on the enchiladas, because it most resembles cheddar. I'm not sure what French cheeses might resemble Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese.
DeleteYour ingredient list for those enchiladas is a little longer than I've used, but I can virtually taste the final result: Fantastico! (is that a spanish word? hee-hee!) My first recipe I got for making enchiladas was from my work mate who was from Texas. Your instructions seem far simpler for me (single person) now that the other method which I only made when we had a gathering or when I planned on left-overs! The most difficult part of the other method was to heat the sauce in a pan, heat the tortilla on a burner then dip the tortilla in the saucepan, then place it in a large rectangle dish (pyrex) and fill with grated cheddar, onions, and meat, roll up until dish was full, then top off with more grated cheese, and finally bake.
ReplyDeleteCute dish from CHM - perfect for one enchilada! I have a similar one and now I am getting really hungry for enchiladas au Ken/CHM!!! Merci à vous!
You might like this recipe for enchiladas on Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes site. She's in Sacramento. I leave out the step where the tortillas get dipped in enchilada sauce so they are sauced inside and out. I figure the filling has enchilada sauce in it, so the inside of the tortilla will end up sauced anyway. I also like to make an enchilada sauce using pureed pumpkin flesh.
DeleteOops. I forgot the link to Elise's enchiladas recipe.
DeleteSo delicious, I'm sure! And, I bet it was fun to have Walt come home with special treats as a surprise :)
ReplyDeleteWell, it wasn't a complete surprise. I knew he was going to make a stop at the Grand Frais store, and I had put avocados and tomatoes on the list. He was sorry he couldn't find any okra there. We'll have to go back to the Asian grocery in Tours one day for that. Problem is, we can't both go. One of us has to stay here with Tasha. Soon, we'll feel better about putting her in the car again.
ReplyDelete