Guess What???  It’s only 7 days (including today) until Cinco De Mayo 🙂

Since I love all things Mexican I though it would be fun to do a weeks worth of Mexican Recipes leading up to the BIG day… Let’s call it A week-long Mexican Fiesta!!!  Whose ready to get this party started?

The first recipe I wanted to share with you are these delicious Grilled Vegetable Enchiladas With Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde. 

I’ve never been a vegetarian before but from time to time my sister has.  She says it make her feel better.  I’ve always said I’m not sure I could give up all that meaty goodness… We live in Texas after all.  So the other day while chowing down on a piece of grilled Mexican Style Street corn I though… Mmm  wouldn’t this make for a delicious Enchilada.  Char grilled corn, zucchini, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and jalapeños all topped off with my favorite roasted poblano salsa verde….  Oh yeah that would be good!!!

When it come to food sometimes I just get lost on a foodie tangent in my own head.

The delicious smokey grilled “meaty” flavor in these vegetable enchiladas is enough to satisfy even T-Rex himself while not weighing you down like the typical Tex-Mex beef or chicken enchiladas.  Making it completely acceptable to go back for seconds.

Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable Enchiladas With Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde 

Makes 12 Enchiladas

Ingredients:

The Filling

4 Ears of Corn

2 Zucchini, quartered lengthwise

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Jalapeños, depending on heat level

1-1/2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms

1 Yellow Onion, diced

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Teaspoons Cumin

1 Lime, juice

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-1/2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese Gated

12 Corn Tortillas

Vegetable Oil

The Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde 

Makes about 3 cups of Salsa

4 Roasted Poblano Peppers

3 Jalapeños (or to taste)*

3-4 Small Cloves Garlic

2 Handfuls Cilantro

2 Limes, (juice and zest)

2 Teaspoons Cumin

½ Small Yellow Onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of Water

Salt & Black Pepper

Directions:

Start by prepping the peppers, corn (husk and silks removed), and zucchini (quartered lengthwise and tossed with a little salt and pepper), and pre-heating the grill.  While it’s not always the “easiest” way for grilling, charing, and roasting vegetables I like to use a charcoal grill because it adds the most favor.

Grill the corn and zucchini until they both have good color and a little char on all sides. Char the peppers until black on all sides.

Place the roasted peppers in a zip top bag and allow them to steam for 15 minutes. Then simply rub off the skin, and remove the stems and seeds.

Remove the corn from the husk, dice up the grilled zucchini, and dice up 1 of the roasted jalapeños and the roasted red bell pepper.

In a large skillet heat up a good drizzle of olive oil and cook the mushrooms until golden brown, then add in the diced onion and sauté until tender and slightly caramelized.  Add in the garlic, corn, diced zucchini, diced jalapeño and red bell pepper. Season with salt, black pepper, cumin, and cook for just a couple of minutes until all the flavors have combined. Lastly add the juice of 1 lime and about 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro.

Pre-Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish.

Prepare the Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde.

Place the roasted poblano peppers, 1 of the roasted jalapeños, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, finely chopped onion, water, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Puree until smooth. Season with salt & black pepper (to taste) and add additional jalapeños to reach desired heat level and puree (see note below).

Warm the 12 corn tortillas. For best results lightly fry them until just tender and pliable, about 15 seconds. (let’s be honest we don’t always have time or the desire to fry so warming the tortillas in the microwave is fine too)

Time to assemble :

1. Spread about 1/2 cup of the roasted poblano salsa verde in the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Dip the tortilla in the salsa verde coating both sides.
3. Sprinkle on a little cheese followed by 2 spoonfuls of the grilled vegetable filling.
4. Roll up the enchilada and place in the baking dish seam side down.  Repeat.
5. Top the enchiladas with the remaining salsa verde and cheese. 
6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 5  minutes. 

Allow the Enchiladas to rest for a couple of minutes. Top the enchiladas with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of Mexican Crema. Serve with black beans and saffron rice.

NOTE:

*For a mild Salsa use 1 jalapeño

*For a medium Salsa use 2 jalapeños

*For a hot Salsa use 3 jalapeños

Sometimes depending on the time of year, the variety of jalapeño, and where the jalapeños were grown, they can have a wide array of heat levels. If you are sensitive to spicy food or are not sure how hot you want your salsa start with 1 pepper in your salsa and adjust it from there.

Yucatan Style Saffron Rice 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Long Grain Rice

1-3/4 Cup Vegetable Broth

2 Pinches Saffron Threads

1-1/2 Tablespoons Butter

Salt

Directions: 

In a small sauce pan heat the vegetable broth to a simmer.  Add the saffron threads and cover, allowing the saffron to steep for a few minutes.   In a larger sauce pan set over medium heat melt the butter and toast the rice until opaque and smells slightly nutty.  Carefully pour in the hot saffron vegetable broth (it’s going to violently bubble and hiss) into the rice and bring to a boil.  Cover the rice and reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and allow the rice to stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

**This recipe will also be shared on Fiesta Friday.