La Cocina de Leslie: Swiss chard

Do you ever go through phases with certain foods? I have been on an acelga kick for quite some time. I can't get enough of them. Acelgas is the Spanish word for Swiss chard, but depending on your produce vendor here in Mexico, you could end up with either Swiss chard or Spinach. Good thing I'm crazy about both, and that the two are completely interchangeable in today's recipe and in this introduction.

If my grandmother was still with us, she'd tell you that I've been in love with spinach since I was a little baby. Gramm LOVED to tell the story of how the only thing I ate for the first couple of months when I started eating solid foods, was pureed spinach. She'd try to feed me other pureed veggies and fruits, but I wanted nothing to do with them. All I wanted was spinach. And lots of it. I was like a mini-Popeye. But way cuter.

So, maybe things haven't changed that much.

I love to eat acelgas in a soups, salads, quesadillas, and even on pizza. But I think my favorite way to eat acelgas has to be in enchiladas verdes. Enchiladas de Acelgas (Swiss Chard Enchiladas) are creamy and cheesy, and just a little bit spicy. They are a delicious meat-free enchilada, perfect for Cuaresma (Lent).

Enchiladas de Acelgas (Swiss Chard Enchiladas) - lacocinadeleslie.com

Enchiladas de Acelgas
(Swiss Chard/Spinach Enchiladas) (Recipe adapted from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
2 serrano chilies
1/2 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup Mexican crema
2 bunches acelgas (Swiss chard or spinach)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Queso Fresco, crumbled
12 corn tortillas

Garnish:

Mexican crema
1/2 medium onion (red or white), sliced
Cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, cook the tomatillos and serrano chilies with 2 to 3 cups of water, over medium-high heat, until the tomatillos are fully cooked. Puree the cooked tomatillos and serrano chilies with 1 cup of the water they were cooked in, along with 1/2 medium onion and the clove of garlic. Pour the salsa verde into a saucepan. Stir in the 1/4 cup of Mexican crema, and season with salt; set aside.

Remove the stems from the acelgas, then roughly chop the leaves. Rinse the acelgas thoroughly with cold water. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion for about 30 seconds. Stir in the acelgas; season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and let cook until the acelgas have wilted, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup of the salsa verde.

I didn't remember to snap a photo of my cooked acelgas until I was almost done assembling my enchiladas.

Once you are ready to assemble the enchiladas, make sure you have all of the ingredients assemled together. Warm up the salsa verde and the acelgas. Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a medium skillet, over medium-high heat. Fry the corn tortillas one at a time, in the oil for about 30 seconds on each side, just until the tortillas are soft and pliable. Dip the tortillas in the salsa verde, one at a time, until evenly coated. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooked acelgas onto each tortilla, and top with 2 tablespoons of queso fresco. Carefully roll up the enchiladas and place seam side down on a serving dish.

Once all of the enchiladas have been assembled, top with more of the heated salsa verde. Garnish enchiladas with Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, onion slices, and cilantro. Serve with Sopa de Arroz (Mexican Rice) and Refried Beans. Enjoy!!!

*This recipe is part of the Lenten Blog Hop hosted by Mama Latina Tips.

21 February 2013

Enchiladas de Acelgas (Swiss Chard/Spinach Enchiladas)

I probably shouldn't complain about how cold it is here in Small Town, Mexico, since technically our daytime high's are somewhere in the 80's, which in some places is still shorts and flip-flops kind of weather. But that's not the case here. Our morning and evening temperatures drop drastically to somewhere between the high 40's and low 50's. For us that's practically freezing, so we bundle up with knit hats and gloves, and thick, woolly scarves. And since Mexico uses the metric system, our degrees are in Celsius, which makes the temps seem even colder. I'm sure you'll agree that 10 degrees Celsius sounds way colder, with visions of icicles dancing in your head, than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thank goodness for hearty soups like Sopa de Lentejas (Lentil Soup), made with bacon, spinach, and a few extra veggies for added flavor to help keep us warm.

Not only are lentils high in protein, my suegra (mother-in-law) used to say that lentils are also a great way to lose weight. She'd then go on to tell the "story" of how a local doctor often prescribed a cup of lentils a day to anyone who wanted to lose weight. But the catch is that you aren't allowed to actually eat the lentils. You're supposed to just drop them on the floor, then bend over to pick them up. One. at. a. time!

Now, I don't know if that little trick actually works, but my suegra enjoyed telling that joke every time she cooked with lentils, and I remembered it the other day as I was preparing this Sopa de Lentejas that my family loved!

Sopa de Lentejas (Lentil & Spinach Soup)
(Recipe adapted from Muy Bueno Cookbook)

Ingredients:

2 cups dried lentils
2 ribs celery
1 clove garlic
10 cups water
6 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup roughly chopped spinach (espinacas) and/or Swiss chard (acelgas) (I used both.)

Directions:

Sort through the lentils to remove any rocks or debris. Rinse lentils in a colander with cold water.

Fill a 3 to 4-quart stockpot with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils, celery ribs, and garlic; reduce heat to low. Cover the stockpot and let simmer until the lentils are tender. (About 20 minutes.)

While the lentils are cooking, cook the bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove most of the bacon drippings from the skillet, leaving just enough to coat the skillet.

Add the carrots and tomatoes to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and serrano chile; saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion has turned translucent.

Season the lentils with salt.

Using a potato masher, mash some of the lentils (to help thicken the soup) until desired consistency. Stir in the cooked bacon, carrots, tomato, and onion. Cover and let simmer about 15 to 20 minutes. Once the lentils are fully cooked and the soup flavors have combined, stir in the spinach and/or Swiss chard. Season with more salt, if necessary. Enjoy!

Receta en español