Ole! More Bold Tastes of Mexico

Mmmm... smell the bold aromas of freshly picked green chiles roasting over an open flame and the citrusy smell of tomatillos simmering on the stove along with a large clay pot of thick garlicky pinto beans gently bubbling away... This says Mexican cooking to me! And so do creamy yet crunchy chilaquiles, and smooth tangy enchilada suizas, Baja California fish tacos (who can resist?), tacquitos (which means "small tacos," or sometimes called flautas "flute," or just rolled fried tacos), and even a simple yet delicious chile rellenos puff!

This is an easy way to make chilaquiles that keeps the tortillas crunchy. There are many different ways to make chilaquiles and depending on where in Mexico the recipe derived, it may include either scrambled or fried eggs. I don't put eggs in mine, but I do like to add cooked shredded chicken meat that makes a delicious and satisfying dinner.

Green Chilaquiles in Roasted Tomatillo Sauce (from Pati's Mexican Table):

18-5" corn tortillas
2 pounds green tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Half of a large white onion
1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles (I used 1 of each)
1 garlic clove
2 or 3 cilantro sprigs
2 cups chicken broth 

To Garnish:
1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup queso fresco
1/4 cup Mexican cream

To prepare the tortillas, I cut them into 2-inch strips, fry in oil and then salt them. Or you can bake them as Pati does.

To Prepare the Tomatillo Sauce:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the tomatillos, onions, garlic and chiles in a bowl. Add about 1 T. of vegetable oil and rub all the ingredients until everything has a light coat of oil. Lay the ingredients in a baking tray and sprinkle with salt. Bake until tomatillos are soft and plump and all the ingredients look charred. Let cool. Add the charred vegetables, cilantro and broth to a blender and mix well. Heat a pan over medium heat, adding one additional tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sauce 
from the blender and finish cooking over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Season to taste.

To Serve:
When the sauce is hot, quickly but carefully add the tortillas and shredded chicken (if you're using). Stir to coat all ingredients and garnish.

This is a pan of creamy Enchiladas Suizas made with shredded chicken and a spicy tomatillo sauce wrapped in flour tortillas.

And now this is a pot of delicious tomatillo sauce that I use, not only for enchiladas, but also for drizzling on tacquitos. Mmmm, and it's soooooo good!

Shredded beef tacquitos sizzling in the fry pan getting nice and crunchy on the outside yet soft and yummy on the inside.

Ready to eat! Delicious beef tacquitos drizzled with my tomatillos sauce, cojito cheese, cliantro, and fresh avocado and tomato on the side.