This challenge was the first time I had seen stacked enchiladas and the presentation really appealed to me, so I was excited even though I NEVER order enchiladas. I'm more of a guacuamole salad, tostada, fajita, quesadilla or beans and rice girl (not all of that at once though I swear).
I planned ahead to serve these on Cinco de Mayo and did the work over several days, which was great as making your own enchilada sauce is time consuming. Roasting and peeling the peppers was the hardest part (after tracking them and the tomatillos down in Chelsea Market's Manhattan Fruit Exchange); it required a lot of patience and more time than the rest of the sauce's preparation. My hands were tingly the next day after handling the peppers so long, which amused me and reminded me of the hard work I had done.
I followed the recipe pretty exactly making only two changes: I skipped the homemade tortillas (though I hope to make them soon) and improvised on the grilled chicken by sauteing on the stove top to caramelize some flavor into it and then put the breasts in the oven to finish. The resulting stacks were very filling, savory and spicy. They even reheated fairly well.
I'm pleased to say the challenge fully met my expectations, although I could have been less timid with the sauce's salt and less aggressive with its reduction. I loved how fresh and spicy the sauce was...completely worth the tingles and time. I'd make it again if there were a request and/or occasion. The work makes this not an every day recipe for me.
The Chili Coconut Lime Mango "Salad" I threw together for the side on the other hand I hope to eat all the time! It was super easy and I really liked the coconut's crunch, lime's tanginess, chili powder's earthiness alongside the sweet mango. It may have been a bit much orange on the plate in combination with the cheese topped enchiladas but it was worth it.
Chili Coconut Lime Mango "Salad"
Serves 4
6 Mangoes, Cubed* (approximately 4 cups)
Juice of 1 Small Lime
1 Tsp. Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. Coconut, Unsweetened (I had this kind from Whole Foods)
1 Tsp. Agave Nectar**
1 Tsp. Agave Nectar**
Directions
Cube mangoes and place in a medium bowl. Juice/squeeze the lime over mangos and toss to coat them. Measure and add the additional ingredients. Toss again to combine the flavors and serve.
* I used baby mango so I likely needed more than you would with regular ones.
**My mangoes weren't the ripest so I added this. It probably wouldn't be necessary with ones in perfect condition.
**My mangoes weren't the ripest so I added this. It probably wouldn't be necessary with ones in perfect condition.
