Musings from Graceland

TOO GOOD TO NOT SHARE --- CHILAQUILES!

A fellow homeschool mom, Kathleen Mejia Beplay, shared this family favorite recipe and I just had to pass it on here at Graceland. Consider it a belated recognition of Cinco de Mayo.

Thanks Kathleen!

"Chilaquiles is a popular breakfast in Mexico, and often eaten as a hangover remedy. We prefer it for dinner, and don't wait for a family-wide hangover to enjoy it. ;) There are many variations of chilaquiles, and this is by no means a definitive recipe. It's just how I make it, based on a recipe I read in Buenhogar magazine several years ago. This recipe feeds my family of 5.

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 pound of chicken.
1 cup of chicken broth
1 cup of green salsa OR 5-6 tomatillos (remove husk and chop) + 1 deseeded and chopped jalapeño
1 white or yellow onion, chopped in strips
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 5oz. can of evaporated milk
1 tsp. oregano
Salt & pepper or Adobo seasoning to taste
a few shakes of cumin
1 tortilla per person, toasted and broken into bite sized pieces
1 shot of tequila

Toppings:

fresh, chopped cilantro
crumbled cheese such as cotija añejo or queso fresco, or whatever you have on hand
avocado slices

Preparation:

Chilaquiles is a great way to use leftover chicken, and you can slice it or pull it apart. If you use fresh chicken, slice it, season with Adobo or salt and pepper, and brown it over medium-high heat. I prefer to use my cast iron skillet for this job, and use no oil. When the chicken is browned, set it aside, and put the sliced onions in the skillet. Pour in the shot of tequila (or just plain water will work) and deglaze the skillet, using a spatula to scrape up any cooked-on bits of chicken. It you are using tomatillos and jalapeño, add them at this point as well. Cook until the onions are clarified and a bit charred on the edges. Stir in the garlic, then add the chicken broth and turn to low heat. Add the green salsa, oregano, and cumin. Allow this to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add chicken back in, and add evaporated milk, and allow it to heat through.

Serve over a bed of toasted tortilla chips, and add toppings to taste."

See...didn't I tell you it was too good not to share? And you might want to pop over to Kathleen's blog, http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/elrinconespanol/ . She got some good resources on teaching and learning Spanish.