April 21, 2009

Inside-Out Enchiladas Verdes



Green Enchiladas usually come with green salsa on top but this recipe switches things up a bit and puts the greens on the inside. If you haven’t tried Swiss Chard, this recipe is a great way to try a healthy, new vegetable. If you are already a fan of chard, try this as a vegetarian way to satiate your cravings for South of the Border flavor.

Swiss Chard Enchiladas


2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 Large bunch Swiss Chard, leaves and stems separated. Coarsely chop the leaves, finely chop the stems.
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Flour
½ Cup Milk
½ Cup Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, grated (or a combo of the two)**
6 Corn tortillas
½-1 Cup Salsa
Salt and pepper
¼ Cup Sour cream (optional)
Fresh Cilantro (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a medium-sized sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until slightly softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and place them in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the chard stems to the heated sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until they are soft (about 2 minutes). Add the chard leaves (in small batches) until they are cooked down significantly (about 2 minutes per batch).

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a small pot, stir in the flour, and when you have a dry paste, slowly add the milk then cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted, then pour most of the cheese sauce into the cooked greens. Fill the center of each tortilla, then roll them up, place them seam side down in a baking dish that has been coated lightly with non-stick cooking spray. If using the sour cream, mix it into the salsa, and if not, just spread the salsa over all the filled and rolled tortillas and bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro and serve with a Corona.
**Chef's Note: I once used slices of White American Cheese instead of the Jack and Cheddar and the sauce was still really good.

2 comments:

Nicole said...

This looks really good, Jackie. I think we're getting some chard with our CSA this week, so I may make some! A great new creative way to use it. And I like vegetarian options for dinner a few times a week.

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