DE-CONSTRUCTED ENCHILADAS aka Mexican Lasagna tips

The enchilada sauce simmering

It is still early Feb. yet the spring flowers are coming out and the daytime temp is in mid 70f's!
For Monday delivery my clients have picked a very diverse menu:

They all opted for the carrot and potato soup..lovely blended with almond milk, hints of cinnamon and apple juice

Then I am doing roasted yam spears with hommus (dip) and a smashed radish salad

The entrees:

De-constructed (no heat) enchiladas..also known as Mexican Lasagna..layers of corn tortillas, jack cheese ( white cheese similar to mozzarella), then a vegetable mix of sweet potatoes, carrots, leeks, white squash, nutritional yeast, vegetable stock, salt & pepper,  corn, oregano, garlic, onions, chopped cilantro, in a tomato base.
For extra heat and flavor you may add ground cumin and chilies ( the clients who ordered this dish cannot tolerate either spice)
The tip here is to dip the tortillas in the sauce before layering in the dish so the resulting dish is moist and flavorful.
To be baked at the client's home..350f for about 30  mins uncovered


Mushrooms stuffed with cheese and pine nuts, with steamed millet..make a duxelle( chopped onions and mushroom stems) and saute in hot oil, add sake or dry sherry, spinach..saute until spinach is wilted.
allow 2-3 mushrooms per person
Add pine nuts and dried bread crumbs to lightly bind.
Cool overnight, tomorrow add grated Parmesan cheese and stuff the mushroom caps..to be baked at clients home..400f for about 20 mins uncovered.
Very nutritional dense dish and delicious too.

In the 70's mushrooms were very popular as appetizers prepared as for escargot ( snails) broiled or grilled with parsley-garlic butter, and served with crusty French bread.
I think it might be time for a revival..Portobello Mushrooms are readily available and so good for one's health..try and make these, they are really good.
 Smash 4-6 cloves garlic with tsp. salt add to 8 ozs softened unsalted butter and stir in 1 bunch chopped parsley and juice of 1 lemon.

Mound on to wax or greaseproof paper and roll into a log shape, store in the fridge until ready for use and slice as needed..this is also good with any grilled meats or fish.
Try it on slices of baked or grilled eggplant too. 


No desserts tomorrow just 2 breads:

Sour dough caraway with sprouted rye berries ( making today as they have a 4 hour proof at room temp, and are better eaten the day after baking, so they "mature")


Walnut-caramel swirls..similar to a cinnamon/pecan rolls, except no spice and the caramel is dehydrated dates processed to make a natural sweet caramel, with Chopped  California walnuts ( I will make these tomorrow morning early..2hours start to finish)