Enchiladas Verdes

When we first tried the enchiladas here, we thought "WHAT ARE THOOOOOSE!" We're used to enchiladas as rolled tortillas stuffed with any number of things, laid flat in a baking dish, smothered in sauce and cheese, and baked in the oven. Not sure if those are an Americanized version or a Northern Mexican version (which is the type of Mexican cuisine that usually makes it into the US) or what, but while our enchiladas are different, they're just as delish!

Our host family makes different kinds of sauces for enchiladas, but the verde is one of our favorites. Sweet and tangy from the tomatillos, the "queso Philadelphia" adds creaminess that balances out the heat from the jalepeños. One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is. The sauce comes together in 5 minutes, and once it's hot, you just dunk a few tortillas in it, wait 30 seconds, put the sauce-soaked tortillas on a plate, and add a drizzle of cream, shredded cheese, and ¡ya! You can also add extra goodies: chopped cilantro, avocado, a fried egg, refried beans, or shredded chicken all go well on top!

Serves 5-7

Ingredients:

-.75kg tomatillos, leaves off

-4 jalepeños

-3 cloves of garlic

-100g of cream cheese

-1 bunch chopped cilantro

-1Tbs oil

-2 cups shredded queso fresco

-2 cups Mexican crema (if it's hard to find, you can make it yourself)

-25-30 tortillas

(Optional, to add on top)

-more chopped cilantro

-avocado

-shredded chicken

-fried egg

-fried onions

-refried beans

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.

2. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatillos, jalepeños, garlic, cream cheese, and cilantro with some water to help the blending process. You'll likely have to work in batches so it all fits.

3. When oil is hot, add the sauce and let it warm up.

4. Taste for salt.

To assemble each plate:

1. Depending on how many enchiladas each person wants (usually 3-5), warm up that number of tortillas on a comal or in a pan over high heat.

2. When tortillas are warm and soft (not toasted), fold them in half and dunk into the pot of sauce. Wait 30 seconds and let them soak up the sauce.

3. When tortillas are sufficiently saucy, remove them from the pot and put them on a plate. You can add more sauce on top if you want.

4. Drizzle with crema and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

5. Add any other toppings you want!

Enjoy the creamy-spicy-tanginess :)