I used to think that Rick Bayless was the one and only go-to television personality for Mexican fare.
Not anymore.
These days, I watch Pati's Mexican Table whenever it happens to come up on the Create Channel. Pati Jinich makes great, no nonsense recipes drawn from her Mexican childhood. It feels like she has an insider's view of the culture that a Chicago restauranteur just doesn't have. Admittedly, it took me a while to warm up to Pati. The first two or three times the show came on, her excruciatingly-high pitched voice drove me mad. Now, it is only mildly annoying.
Pati's recipe for chilaquiles is a good one. When I lived in Albuquerque, I remember my Mexican American friends raving about this dish as one of their childhood comfort foods. It's easy to make and perfect for a cold winter night.
Chilaquiles in Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
-Small corn tortillas 2 poundsgreen tomatillos, husked and rinsed
-Half of a large white onion
-2 serrano chiles
-1 garlic clove
-2 or 3 cilantro sprigs
-2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
-3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas
To Prepare the Tortillas:
Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the tortillas into 2-inch pieces and brush with oil, sprinkle salt. Set them on a baking tray and bake in the oven until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the pieces cool. Store bought tortilla chips work for this recipe as well.
Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the tortillas into 2-inch pieces and brush with oil, sprinkle salt. Set them on a baking tray and bake in the oven until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the pieces cool. Store bought tortilla chips work for this recipe as well.
Tomatillo Sauce:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the tomatillos, onions, garlic and serrano chiles in a bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil and mix well. Put the ingredients in a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake until tomatillos are soft and plump and all the ingredients look charred. Let the ingredients cool. Add the charred vegetables, the cilantro and the broth to a blender and mix well.
Heat a pan over medium heat, adding one additional tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sauce from the blender and finish cooking over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Season to taste.
When the sauce is hot, quickly but carefully add the tortillas. Stir the tortillas into the mixture so that they are fully coated with the sauce.
Serve the tortillas and salsa in a large platter, garnished with the sliced onions, crumbled Mexican queso fresco, cilantro, and sour cream or crème fraîche . Eat immediately.