Chilaquiles

[bjcohan]

I adore good chilaquiles in green sauce, but my absolute favorite uses a thin red-tomato sauce made with smoky-hot chipotle peppers (not the brown dried ones, but the soft red ones packed in adobo), lots of onions, dry cheese, and sometimes a bit of chorizo, longaniza, or chicken. I would never use Fritos because they don't get that lovely silky texture that fried leftover corn tortillas have once bathed in the sauce.

Here's a nifty chilaquiles trick that I made years ago for my Mexican husband (a chef) that drew rave reviews from him and his very exigente (picky) family. One Thanksgiving, I figured that if I can stuff a turkey with cornbread stuffing, why not stuff it with chilaquiles? So, I made up a large batch of chilaquiles with lots of onions and sliced jalapenos, extra-spiced them with chipotle -- assuming that a lot of the heat would dissipate with baking -- and added just a bit of sage and thyme (I was out of epazote). I added one beaten egg to the sauce mixture in order to bind the mixture somewhat. Then I loosely filled the turkey cavity with it and trussed the bird. During baking, I basted with a butter-chipotle mix to which I added a few drops of honey. The turkey was incredible!!! (If you try this, hold aside a little of the tomato-chipotle sauce and serve it over the stuffing to give it more moisture.)

In subsequent years, I've experimented with it, adding mushrooms, cheese, chorizo (Toluqueno) and anything else that seemed right.

That's the beauty of chilaquiles - very adaptable, easy to make, and fun to play with.

Barb

[Jaymes]

I adore good chilaquiles in green sauce, but my absolute favorite uses a thin red-tomato sauce made with smoky-hot chipotle peppers (not the brown dried ones, but the soft red ones packed in adobo), lots of onions, dry cheese, and sometimes a bit of chorizo, longaniza, or chicken.  I would never use Fritos because they don't get that lovely silky texture that fried leftover corn tortillas have once bathed in the sauce.

Barb - must redeem myself here. Of course chilaquiles are much better with fried corn tortillas, but in a pinch, mi amiga in Quéretaro said that she uses Fritos in her "quicky" version, and I was skeptical, but I tried it and for a speedy version, it works.

Often when I'm driving home and I'm tired, and it's late, I DO stop at the store and pick up a bag of Fritos and a jar of Herdez Salsa Verde and some Mexican cheese and go home and literally five minutes after I walk in the door, I'm eating pretty good.

But I hope I didn't give the impression anywhere that I think Fritos are as good as the real thing. Just tasty for a quick shortcut. And I do think that's true.

And I hope you'll give us some instructions as to how to make your chipotle pepper sauce.

[bjcohan]

Jaymes -

No redemption needed. Your quickie version DOES sound tasty. Given that the day job often keeps me in the office til nearly midnight, I just may try your version sooner rather than later. At that hour, quick beats silky by a mile... It just never would have occurred to me to try it... and I'll bet DH Adan will love it.

Barb

BTW, I wholly agree with you about Herdez brand - it's the best of the cans. Their chipotles en adobo are the ones I like best. Smokier, spicier, darker and less tomatoey adobo than the others.

Edited February 5, 2003 by bjcohan (log)

[IrishCream]

Perhaps this response does not belong here but...has anyone tried El Pato (tomato) sauce? I love it for chilaquiles, enchiladas and spicing up taco meat. More to the point, I first encountered chilaquiles in Mexico as a breakfast food...I don't eat eggs and they had no problem leaving the eggs out. What a treat. But upon returning to the states, cooking chilaquiles was just too much hassle for anything other than dinner. Of course, I always fried up my stale tortillas. Can't wait to try Jaymes short-cut.

Another question....what do you travelers to Mexico think of molletes? Another breakfast item that does not have eggs...I adored them.

[Jaymes]

I first encountered chilaquiles in Mexico as a breakfast food...I don't eat eggs and they had no problem leaving the eggs out.  What a treat.  But upon returning to the states, cooking chilaquiles was just too much hassle for anything other than dinner.  Of course, I always fried up my stale tortillas.  Can't wait to try Jaymes short-cut. 

Well - if you read my initial post - I got that short-cut, sling-it-together recipe from a friend that lives in Mexico. She has a big family, and EVERY MORNING, they want and expect chilaquiles. So, she developed this system for throwing things into a microwavable dish and getting it on the table in a flash! In other words, something that is about as much trouble as instant oatmeal, only with a Mexican twist.

And, I too, am accustomed to chilaquiles as a breakfast food, sans eggs, although you are often asked if you'd like a friend egg on top. And you can get really fancy with chicken or meat in them (as Barb says), but just plain, with salsa verde, cheese & sour cream - that's my favorite.

It is ubiquitous on breakfast buffets there - just so good.

Also like "molletes," - kind of a quesadilla on bread, rather than a tortilla. Is that what you're talking about??

Edited February 5, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[IrishCream]

Yes, for molletes...you cut a bolillo in half and remove some of the crumb. Butter and toast the tops. Then slather each half with hot refried beans and top with cheese and bake til cheese melts...mmmmm.

If I still lived in Texas I'd be knocking on your door and begging to share some chilaquiles!

[jess mebane]

I had a poquito chilaquile plate at Trudy's yesterday--totally rocked. All due respect to Miss JayJay the Jetgirl.

[Marlene]

Here is a recipe for CHILAQUILES:.

(You knew it was coming - didn't you )

[fifi]

I have to share a recent discovery... Tostitos Gold! "The Perfect Chip for Hearty Dips". These chips are thicker than the typical Tostito, Dorito, whatever. They are closer to the thicker fried tortilla chips I used to get in central Mexico and Tampico. Those things were almost tooth breakers but had a wonderful chew. And they made the best chilaquiles ever. The freshly made chilaquiles on the breakfast buffet always had the most delightful texture and "chew". When I say thicker, I mean noticeably thicker.

Bayless has a really good discussion of tortilla thickness, time in the sauce, textural differences, etc. in "Mexico, One Plate at a Time". When I read it, there was an "AHA!" moment when I realized that the thicker tortillas made the difference I was missing. He even specifies a weight of 10 ounces per dozen tortillas, calling them "medium thick".

I am a confessed chilaquiles addict and a recent convert to Jaymes' short cut when I am in serious need of a fix. Try subsituting these Tostitos for the Fritos. The flavor is closer to tortilla than the Fritos. The texture is closer to what I was seeking. I say closer in that the ones I had in Mexico seemed to be made from a denser masa. I am not sure I am describing the texture correctly but these Tostitos are at least heading in the right direction.

I have looked here for the thicker corn tortillas with no luck. But then, I haven't been to every little hole in the wall either.

[Jaymes]

What a great idea! Thanks for letting us know.

As I said in my original post, my friend Lita who lives in Queretaro suggested the Fritos when you don't have time to leave your fresh corn tortillas out for a day to allow them to get stale, and then frying them.

But the Fritos' flavor does sometimes come through.

Regular corn/tortilla chips didn't seem to hold up as well, though, leaving me in a quandry.

These Tostitos things sound like they'd be better.

Appreciate the info, Fifi.

[dave88]

I had a bag of fritos. They were those Texas-grilled fritos. These fritos had grill marks on them. Hell yeah, reminds me of something, when we used to fire up the barbeque and throw down some fritos. I can still see my dad with the apron on, better flip that frito, dad, you know how I like mine.

[jess mebane]

Also tried the chilaquiles at Elsi's last week on Burnet--very nice.

[jscarbor]

I like to raost my veggies when making tomato/tomatillo sauces and it adds a depth of flavor to the chilaquilles that is great. Also instead of sour cream I use crema and just our it on top. Of course I always fry an egg and put it on top of the chilaquilles.

Edited July 10, 2003 by jscarbor (log)