Baked Tomatillo Chilaquiles
Oven-crisped tortilla strips are layered with Mexican cheese and an easy tomatillo-jalapeño sauce in this vegetarian pantry put-together that’s equally at home as a brunch dish and a vegetarian dinner. For an even quicker dish, use purchased thick-cut unsalted tortilla chips instead of baking the corn tortillas. For a more formal presentation, divide the ingredients among 4 miniature skillets with a 2-cup (16-fl. oz./500-ml) capacity and bake for 10 minutes. Be sure to set the hot pans on trivets and wrap a napkin around the handles to protect your hands.
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas, each 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter
- 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- 1 can (12 oz./375 g) tomatillos, drained
- 1/2 cup (3/4 oz./20 g) chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./120 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
- 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 4 green onions, including tender green parts, chopped
- 2 cups (5 oz./155 g) crumbled asadero cheese or queso fresco
- 4 eggs
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
- Sour cream for garnish
Directions
Preheat an oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the tortillas into 1-by-2-inch (2.5-by-5-cm) strips. On the prepared sheet, toss the strips with the 2 Tbs. oil, then spread them out in a single layer. Sprinkle the strips with salt and bake until crisp, stirring once, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, cilantro, broth, jalapeño, lime juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, 1/2 tsp. salt and half of the green onions. Puree until smooth.
Sprinkle half of the tortilla strips in an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish or cast-iron fry pan. Pour half of the reserved sauce over the top and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla strips, sauce and cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, 15 minutes.
A few minutes before the chilaquiles are ready, cook the eggs: Warm the remaining 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan, sprinkle them with the red pepper flakes and fry until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, 4 minutes. Arrange the eggs on top of the chilaquiles, top with avocado and sour cream and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Vegetarian, by Kristine Kidd (Weldon Owen, 2014)