VEGGIE ENCHILADAS WITH RANCHERO SAUCE

VEGGIE ENCHILADAS WITH RANCHERO SAUCE image

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 27

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Ingredients

Enchiladas:
1 1/2 cups grated zuchini or chayote squash
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced red onion
1 or 2 jalapenos, seeds removed
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 1/2 cheese, monterey jack and sharp cheddar mixed
2 dozen corn tortillas
salt and pepper
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t cayenne
extra oil and spices to soften tortillas before rolling
Ranchero Sauce:
1 lb roma tomatoes, chopped (or 16 oz can diced tomatoes, drained)
1 med onion, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced thin
1 roasted poblano, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 sm can tomato sauce
1/4 cup oil
1 t dried mexican oregano OR 1/4 cup cilanto, but not both
salt and pepper
Garnish:
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Steps:

First make your sauce. Saute onions, jalapenos, and fresh tomatos in oil. Salt generously to release the water in the tomatos, it makes a better sauce. If you are using canned tomatos, add them after onions are cooked soft. Then add poblano, tomato sauce and oregano, cover and let simmer. If you use cilantro, don't add it until you are ready to put the sauce on the enchiladas, or it can turn bitter To make enchilada filling: Grate squash and then carrots in food processor, set aside. In a heavy skillet with a lid, saute onion, celery, carrot, garlic, spices and jalapeno in oil until onions soften, 5-7 minutes. Add grated squash on top of sauted mixture, cover and let simmer until squash is steamed, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix cooked veggies with grated cheese. This is the filling for your enchiladas. To assemble enchiladas, first ladle 1/2 cup sauce into a cassarole dish. Heat about 2 T. oil in a small skillet, and sprinkle in a little chili powder. Using tongs, fry tortillas two at a time quickly in hot oil, just long enough to soften. Fresh tortillas will bubble up a little, so watch out for the steam. Set them on a plate and cover while you fry the rest, adding more oil and chili powder to the pan as needed. Put a softened tortilla in the cassarole dish, fill with about 2 T veggies and roll up tightly. Keep going until your dish is full. Pack them in fairly tight, so they will not unroll. Top with just enough sauce to cover all, then with cheese down the center of the pan so it looks nice. Bake at 350 until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.