Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [42]
2 cups crumbled queso fresco (see savvy)
2 cups sour cream
Twelve 6-inch round white or yellow corn tortillas, cut in strips or roughly torn
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and chile and sauté until they are softened and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
add 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the sal sa, and broth and simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thickened a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Put the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
put the queso fresco, the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and the sour cream in another bowl and stir to combine. Spoon a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the slowcooker insert. Layer one-third of the tortillas evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
spread half the queso fresco mixture over the tortillas and top with one-third of the shredded cheese. Repeat, layering the tortillas, sauce, queso fresco, and shredded cheese. Finish layering the remaining tortillas, sauce, and shredded cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the casserole is cooked through and the cheese is bubbling. Remove the cover and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
serve from the cooker set on warm.
serves 6–8
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salsa savvy
Tomatillo salsa, or salsa verde, can be found in the Hispanic section of your supermarket. I’m partial to La Victoria’s thick and chunky variety.
queso fresco savvy
Queso fresco is a found in the fresh cheese section of the grocery store. Generally sold in rounds, it crumbles easily but doesn’t have the melting qualities that Monterey Jack or Cheddar have. If you cannot find queso fresco, feta is a good substitute, but make sure to rinse it thoroughly, as it can be much saltier than queso fresco.
Chicken Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce
In this casserole, mildly-spiced ranchero sauce, filled with bell peppers and onions, soaks into layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, corn, and onion. Flavored with cilantro, this dish makes a delicious dinner any night of the week.
RANCHERO SAUCE
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large sweet onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium yellow bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder
½ cup gold tequila (optional)
Two 28- to 32-ounce cans tomato purée
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken breast halves, bones and skin removed and cut into bite-size pieces, or 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
1 medium onion, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups corn kernels, fresh off the cob or frozen and defrosted
2½ cups finely shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1½ cups finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Twelve 6-inch tortillas, roughly torn or cut in strips
heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, cumin, and chile powder and sauté until the onions begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
add the tequila (if using) and swirl in the pan. Add the tomato purée and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before proceeding.
heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until it is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is softened, another 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cilantro and corn. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool.
combine the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses in another bowl, sprinkle 3 cups of the cheese over the cooled chicken mixture.
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
spoon one-quarter