Simple chipotle chilaquiles (tortilla \"casserole\")

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 can Whole tomatoes - (28 oz); drained
(or 1 1/2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes; about 3
Round or 9 to 12 plum)
2 Canned chipotle chiles en adobo -; (to 3)
1½ tablespoon Vegetable or olive oil
1 large White onion; sliced 1/4\" thick
3 Garlic cloves; finely chopped
2½ cup Canned chicken or vegetable stock; more if needed,
Homemade or low-sodium
Coarse salt
2 cups Coarsely-shredded cooked chicken
¼ cup Finely-crumbled Mexican queso añejo;
Or Romano or Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup Homemade Crème Fraîche; (see recipe)
(or sour cream thinned with a little milk)
2 Sprigs epazote or 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Fried or Baked Tortilla Chips; (see recipe)
(or 8 ounces tortillas chips 8 to 12
Cups)

Directions

If using drained canned tomatoes, place them in a blender. If using fresh tomatoes, spread them onto a baking sheet, and place them 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When they are darkly roasted (they will be blackened in spots), about 6 minutes, flip them over, and roast the other side. After 5 to 6 minutes, the tomatoes will be splotchy-black, blistered, soft, and cooked through. Remove from broiler, and let cool. Working over your baking sheet, pull off and discard the blackened skins, and, if you're using round tomatoes, remove hard cores. Transfer tomatoes to a blender, along with all the juices that have accumulated on the baking sheet. Add chipotles to the blender, seeds and all. Blend the tomatoes and chiles to a purée, making sure that it retains a little texture. You should have 2¼ cups purée.

Over medium heat in a deep, large, wide pot or caquela, add oil and half the onion. Cook, stirring often until the onion is richly golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir for another minute, then raise the heat to medium-high. Add the tomato purée, and stir constantly, until the mixture thickens considerably, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in stock, and season with salt. You should have 4 ½ cups -- if not, add extra stock until you do. This sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Set out the chicken, cheese, and crème fraîche or sour cream. Place the sauce in a deep, large, wide pot or caquela over medium-high heat, and cook until the sauce boils. Stir in the epazote (if you are using cilantro, set aside to add later) and the chips, coating all the chips well. Let sauce return to a rolling boil, cover, and turn off the heat. Let stand 5 minutes (no longer). Immediately remove cover, and very carefully stir to coat the chips evenly with the sauce and to check that the chips have softened nicely. They should be a little chewy, but not mushy. (If they are too chewy, stir in a little more stock, cover, and set over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes more.) Sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Spoon onto warm individual plates, or serve directly from the pot. Drizzle the chilaquiles with the crème fraîche or sour cream.

Top with remaining onions and chicken, and dust generously with the cheese.

Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Cuisine: "Mexican" Source: "Martha Stewart Living - (www.marthastewart.com)" S(Formatted for MC5): "by Lynn Thomas - Lynn_Thomas@..."

Per serving: 14 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (3% calories from fat); trace Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 1mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Recipe by: Recipe from Rick Bayless; Co-owner/chef; Frontera Grill and Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.

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