Quick Mexican Flautas

Years ago I started making these flautas for my Mexican food loving family, specifically to use the tomatillos I grew in my garden.  They have been a favorite ever since!  The tomatillos still have volunteer plants 10 years later in my garden space.  I really never have the heart to pull them out!  A large and lovely plant of bright green, small leaves gives its harvest around late August in Michigan.  I adore the papery husks that hold the fruit and watch them carefully, so the fruit doesn't drop.  Of course the volunteer plants don't give as large of a harvest as those started from seed in the spring, but for the few dishes I make with tomatillos, it's plenty!

My flautas are a bit non-traditional as I have adjusted the recipe to fit our tastes and time constraints over the years.   We prefer to use flour tortillas and we love when the chicken filling is juicy, so we make them larger.  Pan frying is a breeze in summer on the grill side burner and juicy red tomatoes and sour cream are the perfect side versus a gravy that I've had in restaurants.  You can also save some of the salsa verde to serve alongside if you like or sprinkle with some Mexican cheese when the flautas come out of the hot oil.

CHICKEN FLAUTAS

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1+ cup salsa verde
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar (*gasp* I used the bagged Kraft kind)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, minced
8 10 inch flour tortillas
1+ cup vegetable oil or shortening- enough to fry flautas turning once

In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients to form a juicy paste that slightly sticks together when squeezed.  Lay out each tortilla and evenly fill with mixture, I used about 1/3 cup of filling per tortilla.  Roll up tortilla and secure edge with a toothpick.   Heat oil in large saute pan to high, but not smoking.  Lay in a few flautas at a time, being cautious not to overfill pan, as it lowers the temperature of the oil quickly and your flautas will be oil soaked inside.  Fry about 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.  Serve with your choice of sides; guacamole, salsa verde, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.  Surprisingly enough, these warm up great the next day and taste even better!!!

 I still make the salsa verde (green salsa) when I have time and tomatillos, but the jarred salsa verde is really pretty good.  If you are interested in making your own salsa verde it's absolutely easy and the best!  I d not use a recipe because it depends what my garden offers up in quantity, but the "bones" of the recipe are this:

Fresh tomatillos, husks removed and quartered
Onions, chopped
Cubanelle or Pablano Peppers
Jalapenos, Serranos or Banana peppers
Garlic
Chili powder
Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Fresh Cilantro 

Throw all together into a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, using the chili powder, vinegar, lime juice, salt & pepper to give depth to the salsa.  I cook 20-30 minutes until thick and saucy, adding the cilantro when cooking is complete.   

Queso Blanco with Chipotle, courtesy of Four Corners Creamery

Four Corners Creamery Queso Blanco with ground Chipotle.

With a cheese maker for a husband, occasionally I ask John to make me cheese and we barter and bargain for them....you don't want to know what I have to do to get Ricotta!

Lately, I've been on a Queso Blanco kick.  Queso Blanco at Four Corners Creamery is made with cultures and rennet versus just drained & pressed curd, so it has a bit of time to stay fresh, yet acts just like the fresh version.
Pure cows milk is gently pasteurized, inoculated and separated by rennet and then drained and pressed.  We occasionally make plain, but I really like when John adds ground Chipotle peppers.  The chipotle gives the mellow Queso Blanco a smokey flavor without too much heat.

Queso Blanco is a bit odd when used for cooking, it doesn't truly met, but softens and becomes a bit goopy (for lack of a better description) yet, doesn't spread.  This is so miraculous when making enchiladas as the cheese stays right in the tortilla!  I only cut the cheese into long slices and fill the tortilla...no grating of cheese required!

  I usually add refried pinto beans to the cheese filling as well.  I prefer canned pinto beans, rinsed and tossed into a saute pan with a bit of olive oil and chopped onion & salt.  I mash them as they warm and taste so much better than the already mashed canned refried beans.

I put about 2 Tablespoons of beans and a slice of cheese in the corn tortilla that has been flash fried in vegetable oil, roll it up and lay them side by side in a baking dish.

I mix a jar of crushed tomatoes(drained) with a can of diced chilis (drained) and pour over the top.  Top with a bit of cheese and bake 375 degrees for about 30 minutes!  Topped with some shredded lettuce and sour cream is fantastic!

Don't despair if you cannot find Queso Blanco with Chipotles in your area, simply use plain cheese and add a bit of chipotle powder to your refried beans!

Quick Mexican Comfort Food

It's a blizzard tonight in southeast Michigan.  The perfect night for pure Mexican comfort food!  John could eat Mexican every night of the week, it's not necessarily my first choice, but I do enjoy it occasionally.  This dish is an exception however, I could eat it round the clock and never get tired of it!  All of the ingredients were in my fridge or freezer (BONUS, as the grocery stores wee a nightmare today!) and it took only a few minutes to whip up!  I apologize, as I don't always take the most lovely photos of food, possibly there is an SLR camera in my future?!

CHORIZO AND EGGS
1 pound Mexican fresh chorizo
4 eggs
8 flour tortillas, 8 inches round
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (yes, I actually purchased this!!)
mild green sauce

In a skillet, saute chorizo until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks. Lightly beat eggs in a separate bowl and add to cooked chorizo.  Stir to combine roughly.  Cook until eggs are just done and remove from heat.  Over a gas burner, slightly toast tortilla until edges are just blackened.  Pile in chorizo mixture and garnish with green sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.  Wrap up and eat warm!

If you cannot source fresh Mexican Chorizo where you live, you can easily make it at home.  I've never measured any of the ingredients, yet it always turns out great, go figure?!

1 lb. fresh pork sausage
apple cider vinegar
ground chili powder

I place pork in a bowl, dump in about 1/2 cup of vinegar and sprinkle in about 1/4 cup of chili powder.  Mix it all up, meat should be a bright pumpkin red color.  The mixture should have a nice pungent, chili smell to it.  Let rest in refrigerator for 24 hours at least in a covered bowl or ziploc bag.  Use in place of ground beef in mexican dishes or try the recipe above!

We also love it sprinkled on refried beans or added to mexican rice!