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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

spinach-mushroom enchiladas suizas

filling:

  • 3 bunches (1-1/2 pounds) spinach, trimmed of stems
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped fine
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (cremini or white button mushrooms)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or grated on microplane)
  • 1 pound swiss cheese, grated (set aside half for sauce & garnish)
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly (use half of them in the filling; set aside the rest)
  • salt and pepper
place the spinach leaves in a large bowl of cold water and wash thoroughly (change the water if spinach is particularly sandy). lift the leaves out with your hands, letting the water drain back into the bowl, then place in a large stockpot. when it's all in there, cover the pot and place on the stove over medium-high heat. check after a few minutes to stir it down as it wilts, and remove from heat as soon as it's all done -- this only takes a few minutes. pour the cooked spinach into a colander to drain and run a little cool water over it so you can handle it. when cooled and drained, take handfuls and squeeze them until relatively free of liquid, then chop roughly and place in a large bowl. in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter, and saute the onions over medium-high heat until translucent. add in the mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms release their liquid and onions are turning golden brown. turn the heat to medium and add in the garlic; cook for another 2-3 minutes to cook off most of the mushroom liquid. remove from heat and add contents of skillet to the spinach. add the grated cheese and green onions, combine well, then add salt and pepper to taste.

sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • half of the remaining sliced green onions
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream (or Mexican crema fresca, or creme fraiche)
  • 1 6-ounce can mild green chilis
  • the remaining grated swiss cheese (set aside 1/2 cup of the cheese and combine with the remaining green onions to garnish)
  • salt and pepper
in the same skillet in which you cooked the onions and mushrooms, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the green onions. cook for a few minutes to soften, then stir in the flour and cook for another 3-4 minutes. whisk in the milk and raise heat to medium; continue cooking & whisking until thickened and bubbly. whisk in the sour cream, green chilis and cheese and cooking, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. salt and pepper to taste.

assembly:
  • 12 white corn tortillas
  • small amount vegetable oil
  • the combined swiss cheese and sliced green onions from above
preheat oven to 350 degrees F. clean out the skillet and lightly oil. brush one side of each corn tortilla lightly with oil, then cook over medium-high heat in the skillet, one at a time, flipping each one once, for just a minute -- until soft and floppy -- and stack them on a plate as they're done. butter a large casserole pan (or two -- you need enough space for 12 enchiladas) and pour a little of the sauce into the bottom. now you're ready to roll! fill each tortilla with a few tablespoons of filling (I divided it into 12 portions before starting, which made it easier), and nestle  them closely together so they retain their shape. when done, pour the remaining sauce over all, and top with the reserved grated swiss and sliced green onions. cover the casserole with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until thoroughly heated through and bubbly. raise the heat to 400 degrees F, remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes to brown the top a bit. serve with rice (I made brown rice with a bit of chopped cilantro, lime juice and lime zest stirred in just before serving) and refried beans.



I can't say enough good things about the microplane zester/grater. I use mine to grate fresh garlic, zest citrus, and to grate harder cheeses (I used a regular box grater for the swiss cheese, but it's fantastic for harder cheeses like parmigiano, etc.).