1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 large garlic clove
Sauce
1.5 lb (650 grams) tomatillos (see Tips below)
1 poblano chile
2 small jalapeño chiles, or 1 large
2 small serrano chiles, or 2 large
1/2 onion, cut in thick half rings
6 medium cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups Mexican sour cream or heavy cream
10 corn tortillas
1 clove of garlic to infuse the oil
Light olive oil for frying the tortillas
Directions
1. Brine the chicken.
- Add 1.5 liters of water to a medium-to-large pot. Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Add the bay leaves, thyme and brine in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Poach the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and set aside. Place the pot with the brining liquid over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add chicken breasts. After 2-3 minutes remove the foam that may have accumulated on the surface. Add the onion and garlic clove. Partially cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from the heat and allow to continue cooking, (will it reach 165 degrees?) covered until it cools down. Discard water and allow the chicken to cool. Once cool, shred the chicken and set aside in the fridge.
2. Prepare the salsa. Update to broiling ingredients rather than boiling.
- Wash the tomatillos and chilies with soap and rinse with warm water. Set aside.
- Set the oven rack to 5 inches below the heat element and preheat the broiler to high,
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the tomatillos, poblano, jalapeño, serrano chilies, onions, and unpeeled garlic cloves in it.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the chiles and tomatillos turn gold, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn upside down and continue to broil for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the items as they seem toasted but not charred, with the exception of the poblano chile.
- While the tomatillos continue to cook, toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat. Move constantly until they become golden and aromatic. Remove from the pan and add to a molcajete and finely grind. Set aside.
- Once the poblano chile is charred and shows blisters on all sides, on all sides transfer to a plastic bag and allow to "sweat" for 5 minutes. Broil the poblano chile until it has blisters on all sides. Place the poblano chile in a plastic bag and allow it to "sweat" for about 5 minutes. Peel the poblano with your hands. It is easier to peel from the tip, or apex, towards the stem, or "tail". Remove the seeds and the placenta.
- By now, all the ingredients in the baking tray should be cooked and be allowed to cool.
- Remove the poblano chile from the plastic bag and peel. Allow to cool.
Remove the stem from the serranos and jalapeños and add to the jar of a blender. Add the tomatillos, onion, sesame seed paste, garlic paste, cilantro, poblano, and Muenster cheese.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add a raw clove of garlic and allow the oil to be infused by the garlic. Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the sauce to the pot and cook for 20 minutes. In the meantime, shred the chicken and set it in a bowl.
Add the heavy or sour cream to a small bowl. Add the sauce to temper. Add the cream back to the pot. Season with chicken bouillon powder and pepper, to taste. If the sauce is tangy add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar at a time.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and move the shelf close to the broiler.
3. Fry the tortillas
- Add light olive oil to a small skillet set over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot. The oil should be enough to cover a tortilla. The oil will be hot enough when a small piece of tortilla lifts immediately to the surface and is surrounded by bubbles. Grab one tortilla with tongs and submerge it in the oil, about 5 seconds per side. Transfer to a surface covered with paper towels.
4. Assemble the enchiladas
- Add shredded chicken to each tortilla using tongs, and add a generous string of Oaxaca cheese and some salsa. Roll the tortilla as tightly as possible without breaking it.
5. Bake to Gratinate
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread some of the salsa over an oven-safe dish. Place the enchiladas on top and add more salsa. Cover the enchiladas with slices of Muenster cheese.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve warm.
Tips to Prevent Sauce From Being Tangy
1. When selecting the tomatillos, look for small tomatillos that are sweeter than the larger ones. Select the ones with a husk that completely covers them. Avoid large tomatillos. Ripe tomatillos have a dryer husk. Over-ripe tomatillos will be yellowish in color. Tear and peel the husk to inspect the tomatillos. The fruit should be firm but not hard and be a bright green color with no bruises or tears.
2. Peel and wash the tomatillos to completely remove the sticky texture, which causes bitterness. Also, remove the entirety of the stem. Do not cut the tomatillos before cooking.
3. Don't let the tomatillos burst while cooking.
4. Some people recommend stabbing the tomatillos with a fork before cooking them so they can release the acidity but I haven't tried this yet.
5. Another recommendation is to add a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water or a pinch to the salsa. I haven't tried this yet either.
Se le agrega un poquito de bicarbonato de sodio para bajar la acidez, ya que el PH del tomate es 4 o 4.5 (abajo de 7 es ácido) y el PH del Bicarbonato es 8.3
Para que la salsa verde no quede gelatinosa hay que licuarla cuando ya esté fría.
Comments
Post a Comment