POTATO AND KALE ENCHILADAS

I made this when I was on my vegan experiment, and even though it was a lot of work it was very tasty.  I will definitely use the enchilada chile sauce recipe again because Justin and I thought it was great.  Of course the recipe is very healthy with kale being the darling of the veggie world now, and this recipe is a good way to incorporate it into your diet.  If you're not willing to try it, definitely make the enchilada sauce and experiment with it as a topping on a variety of dishes -- it's just that good. 

ENCHILADA CHILE SAUCE:

2 TB grapeseed or olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 large green chiles (such as Anaheim or Hatch if in season), roasted, seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped
2-3 t. ancho chile powder
1-1/2 t. cumin
1 t. Mexican oregano (epazote)
1 – 28 oz. can roasted diced tomatoes
1 t. sugar
1-1/2 to 2 t. salt

POTATO AND KALE FILLING:

1 lb. waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold or red), peeled and diced
½ lb. kale, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
3 TB grapeseed or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. vegetable broth
3 TB lime juice
¼ c. toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coarsely chopped
1-1/2 t. salt or to taste
12 to 14 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and have ready a shallow casserole dish, at least 11X7.

Prepare the enchilada sauce first – In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions in oil for 4-7 minutes, until softened.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat.  When the mixture has cooled enough, taste and adjust the salt if necessary.  Puree in a blender until the mixture is smooth and even.

Prepare the filling – Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Cook the grapeseed oil and minced garlic in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the garlic is sizzling and slightly browned, being careful not to let it burn.  Add the kale, sprinkle with a little salt, and raise the heat to medium, stirring constantly to cover the kale with the oil and garlic.  Partially cover the pot to steam the kale until it has wilted, 4-6 minutes.  Remove the lid and mix in the potatoes, vegetable broth, lime juice, pepitas, and salt.  Use the back of a wooden sppon to mash some of the potatoes.  Cook another 3-4 minutes, until the stock is absorbed.  Add more salt or lime juice to taste.

To assemble – Have ready a pie plate filled with about ¾ c. of enchilada sauce, a casserole dish, a stack of corn tortillas, a comal (cast iron griddle to used to soften tortillas), and the filling.  Ladle a little bit of the enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish and spread it around.  Take a corn tortilla, place it on the heated comal for 30 seconds, then flip it over and heat until the tortillas has become soft and pliable.  Drop the softened tortilla into the pie plate filled with sauce; allow it to get completely covered in sauce, flip it over and coat the other side.

Place the tortilla in the casserole dish and run potato/kale filling down the middle and roll it up.  Continue with the rest of the tortillas, tightly packing the enchiladas next to each other.  Pour about a cup or more of the sauce, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas poking out of the sauce look just a little browned.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.  Top individual servings with any remaining enchilada sauce, warmed slightly.  Serve with Cilantro Sour Cream to dollop on top.

CILANTRO SOUR CREAM:

1 container Tofutti sour cream
Juice of one lime (about 2 TB)
1 TB agave syrup
¾ t salt
3 cloves, garlic, crushed
2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro, diced

 Heat the oil and garlic in a skillet until lightly browned but don’t let it scorch or burn or it will taste terrible!  Add it with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until time to serve.