En Espanol, Por Favor

My favorite everything companion just turned 30. It was a good reason for him to ask me to make a special birthday dinner. He requested enchiladas verdes and refried beans. If I'm going to make that I might as well try my hand at some rice as well. So yesterday afternoon I headed to the kitchen to get started. I cooked from 3 until 6pm. That's a long time for me to be in the kitchen, in the summer, without air conditioning BUT it was worth it to make something scrumptious for my love. Next time, I'll make the beans ahead of time. They were the most demanding in combination with the other two dishes.

Enchiladas Verdes or Green Enchiladas Absolutely Fantastic Flavor and a Definite Keeper!
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
  
• 1/2 medium white onion, halved crosswise
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno chile
• 1 poblano chile
• 8 -10 six-inch corn tortillas
• 10 ounces queso fresco - this was found in the dairy section of my local grocer, not with the other cheeses and lunch meats. I think this is must! It's above and beyond yummy and offers a more authentic taste.

Directions

1. Place chicken, 1/2 of the onion, the garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid; set aside.
2. Let chicken cool on a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred (discard bones). Coarsely chop 1/2 cup cilantro, and toss with chicken.
3. Preheat broiler, with the rack about 6 inches from heat source. Broil tomatillos and chiles on a rimmed baking sheet, rotating them as they blacken, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Remove the blackened skins, stems, ribs, and seeds (optional, all the heat is in the seeds) from chiles. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. (If you don't like so much heat, you may want to remove the seeds before blackening.)
4. Coarsely puree tomatillos and chile flesh in a blender with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 1/2 cups cilantro, and reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Transfer salsa to a large bowl.
5. Using tongs, toast tortillas over an open flame of a gas stove, 5 to 10 seconds per side. At least warm them up so they become more flexible and won't crack once you stuff and roll your enchiladas.
6. Dip 1 tortilla into salsa to coat lightly. Place 1/3 cup chicken on half of tortilla. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on top, and roll up. Place it seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat to make more enchiladas, lining them up snugly in dish. Spoon remaining salsa on top, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

This is where I have to profess my love for bone-in chicken breasts. The flavor is intensified and I feel the meat cooks to be more tender and juicy. I enjoyed the fragrance of the meat cooking with the onion in the water because it reminded me of my mom cooking chicken breasts with veggies in the water. mmm....

Be mindful that if you want more enchiladas, cook more chicken and/or stuff the tortillas with less. I made 8 chicken and 2 cheese enchiladas, had plenty of sauce, and had leftover chicken for salads or quesadillas tonight.

Basic Mexican Rice - Easy and tasty, a good compliment.
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Long Grain Rice
• 1 can Rotel (10 Ounce)
• 1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce)
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (more If Needed)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
   
2. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
   
3. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes.
   
4. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately. (I did not serve this with cilantro. Probably because my brain was short-circuiting by the time I served dinner.)
   

And finally the Refried Beans - Delicious but prep ahead.
Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in a large bowl with water to cover by 2-inches, and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup bacon drippings or lard
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions - I forgot about these and it still turned out ok
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon chopped oregano
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
  

Directions

1. Rinse then soak your dry beans overnight or for 6-8 hours. Drain.
2. In a large, heavy pot, combine the beans, bay leaf, and enough water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding more water as necessary to keep covered.
   
3. When the beans are soft, mash in the pot with a potato masher or the back of heavy wooden spoon. Remove from the heat. You do not drain.
4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes.
   
5. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the beans and any cooking liquid from the pot, and the oregano, and stir to combine.
   
6. Cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, until the mixture forms a thick paste, 15 to 20 minutes, adding water a bit at a time to keep the beans from drying out too much.
7. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

I didn't have bacon drippings on hand, so I cooked about a half a pound of bacon while the beans were simmering for their 2 hours. I set the bacon aside and we'll most likely top a salad or have some Bacon Pea Pasta, using wheat pasta.

Love to mi vida!