Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Potato Spinach Enchiladas

I made these enchiladas after it snowed. We didn't want to leave the house, so I used what was on hand. I like to keep a can or two of enchilada sauce in my pantry. It's great for all kinds of quick meals.



This recipe makes 6-8 enchiladas, depending on how full you stuff them.

1 Potato
1 T EVOO
1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper - diced
1/4 large Yellow Onion - diced
1-3 cloves Garlic - diced
1 Tomato - diced (peeled and seeded, optional)
s/p
Dried Oregano
CRP
Chili Powder
Fajita Seasoning
Vegetable Stock, Chicken Stock or Water
2 handfuls Spinach
Oil for frying*
Corn Tortillas
1 can Enchilada Sauce
Cheese - shredded or crumbled (I used Feta, Chipotle Gouda, and Parmesan)

Preheat oven to 375°

Clean the potato. Place it in a pot and cover it with cold water. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove the lid. Cook the potato till it's fork tender (the fork should easily slide in and out of it).



As the potato boils, heat the EVOO in a small pan. Add the onion and pepper. Cook for two minutes. Stir garlic into the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.



Add the diced tomatoes to your pan. Stir.



Season the vegetables to taste.



Add a couple splashes of stock or water to the pan, carefully so that you don't splash yourself. Cover the sauce and cook it over med-low heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.



Once the potato is tender, remove it from the water and let it sit. Once it's cool enough to handle, peel it by hand or with a pairing knife.



Dice the potato and add it to your veggie sauce. Let the sauce cook a few minutes to incorporate the flavors into the potato. Then, put the mixture into a bowl.


Roughly chop the spinach.



Stir the spinach into your potato mixture and set it aside.



In a small pan (I used the same one that I cooked the veggies in) heat a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil*. Set a plate with a couple of paper towels on it next to the stove.



Once the oil is hot, place one corn tortilla in the pan. Let it sit for about ten seconds.



Then, carefully flip it over with tongs. Try not the tear it, but it's okay if you do.

Let the tortilla cook for another ten seconds, or till it's soft, then remove it from the oil and place it on the plate, between the paper towels.



Repeat this step till all of the tortillas are soft.

Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce onto an oven proof plater or dish. Swirl the dish around till the sauce has evenly coated the bottom. This will stop the tortillas from sticking.

Set up a work station with the bowl of potato/spinach mixture, bowl of cheese, plate of tortillas, extra sauce, on the side and your baking dish in front of you.

Starting on the side closest to you, place a tortilla down in the sauce on the edge of the dish.



Place some of the potato/spinach mixture on the center of the tortilla.



Top the potato/spinach mixture with cheese.



Roll the tortilla up and slide it back to the edge of the dish, if you need to.



Place another tortilla on the dish. Lay this one half way on top of the last one that you rolled. Stuff and roll this one the same as the first.



Repeat this process till all of the enchiladas are rolled.



Now, spoon some enchilada sauce on the tortillas. I just put a little on the ends, so that they don't get too crispy in the oven. How much sauce you use is up to you. I just wanted enough to keep the tortillas moist. If you like it saucy, add lots of sauce.

Finish preparing the enchiladas with a sprinkle of cheese.



Place the platter in your preheated oven.



Cook for about 20 minutes or till the cheese is melted and everything is nice and hot.





Enjoy this tasty, gluten free, vegetarian meal with rice and/or beans.



*To lower the fat in this recipe, you can substitute enchilada sauce for the oil that's used to soften the tortillas. The process is the same. I.e. Heat the sauce, dip the tortillas in it, place them between the towels and then roll them. The down side to this method is that the tortillas will be softer in the final product, which is fine, if you like them that way. I think both ways are tasty!

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