This reliable enchilada recipe doesn't
require any time consuming procedures. The toasted pumpkin seeds give the sauce
a delicious flavor as well as a boost in protein. Use the dark green, hulled
pumpkin seeds that are available in whole-foods stores and some Latin American
markets.
Sauce:
1 large green bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper (or
2, if you'd like more heat)
2 teaspoons canola or corn oil
1 medium onion, coarsely
chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely
chopped
8 tomatillos,
husked and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
seeds
1/2 cup hulled, unsalted
pumpkin seeds,
toasted 6 to 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven
1/2 cup water
salt
and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Filling:
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
2 medium onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green cabbage head,
sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
seeds
1/4 cup cilantro,
coarsely chopped
1/2 cup farmers cheese,
ricotta cheese, or
mild,
soft chevre (goat cheese)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh-ground
black pepper to taste
8 large flour tortillas
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place
the bell and jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet, and bake them for 15 minutes or until
they are blistered and soft. Let them
cool.
2. Make the filling: Heat the oil in a
large skillet over medium heat. Add the
onions, and saute them for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the garlic, cabbage,
cumin, and coriander. Saute, stirring
frequently, for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. When the mixture has cooled, stir in the
cilantro, farmer's cheese (or ricotta or goat cheese), and the salt and pepper.
3. When the peppers have cooled remove the
skins with your fingers. Chop the
peppers coarsely.
4. Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan,
heat the oil. Saute
the onion, garlic, and tomatillos until they are
soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground
coriander, and saute 2 minutes more. Transfer this mixture to a blender or food
processor. Add the chopped peppers
(jalapeno seeds included, if you want heat), all but 1 tablespoon of the
pumpkin seeds, and the water. Blend the
sauce until it is almost smooth. Add the
salt and pepper.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/3 cup filling down the middle of a
flour tortilla. Roll the tortilla
tightly, folding in the sides as you roll.
Place the rolled tortilla in a 9-by-13-inch casserole pan. Do the same with the remaining seven
tortillas, using all of the filling.
Pour the sauce over the filled tortillas, and then cover the dish with foil. Bake the enchiladas for 25 minutes. Serve the enchiladas garnished with the
remaining pumpkin seeds.
Serves 4
Source:
Vegetarian Planet
by Didi Emmons
The Harvard Common Press, 1997
ISBN 1-55832-115-2