Verde Poblano Enchiladas with Zucchini Rice

When people think of comfort food usually things like chicken soup, meatloaf & mashed potatoes come to mind. Call me strange, by enchiladas are most often the first thing I think of. I blame it on growing up in Texas. Every occasion, special or otherwise, called for a trip to the nearest Tex-Mex spot. Okay, I'll admit, chicken soup pops up too, but something about cheesy enchiladas just hits the spot when I need a pick-me-up.

Verde Poblano Enchiladas, for 410 corn tortillas

2 large poblano peppers

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced into rings

1/2 c. tomatillo salsa

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. asadero cheese, grated

1/4 c. montere jack cheese, grated

1 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the broiler & char the poblanos until the skin blackens, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl covered with a dish towel & let cool. Turn the heat on the oven down to 400F.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a plate & drizzle each with a bit of olive oil. Place a damp paper towel on top of the stack & cover with another place. Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds, this will make them much easier to work with & keep the tortillas from cracking when you roll them.

Once the poblanos are cool remove the charred skin. It should be loose & come over relatively easily simply by peeling it. Slice the skinned peppers into strips about 1" long. Drizzle the remaining olive oil & a bit of tomatillo salsa in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Grab a warm tortilla & fill with a few strips of poblano, a sprinkle of asadero cheese, a sprinkle of monterey jack cheese & a small spoonful of salsa. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling & place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat this process until all ingredients are gone.

When all of your enchiladas are rolled top with the remaining salsa, cheeses, sour cream, jalapeño rings. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Rice, for 4

1 c. white rice

2 c. chicken stock

1 yellow onion diced

1 zucchini, grated

1 tbsp. olive oil

Over medium heat, drizzle a sauce pan with the olive oil & saute the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice & cook until it turns opaque, another minute or so. You may need to drizzle a bit more oil in to keep the rice from sticking.

Add the stock & cook over low heat, covered until the liquid has absorbed, about 10 - 15 minutes. Once cooked, fold the zucchini in & let sit covered for about 5 more minutes.