new pantry item from garden: green tomato enchilada sauce

[grasswire]

Well, I made up and froze two batches of this when there were still green tomatoes in the garden in September. Now I've already used up both batches, as it is so delicious to use in meal-making. I suppose you could use tomatillos instead of green tomatoes -- they are available at markets still.

I used one batch to make a hamburger-layered tortilla casserole with lots of jack cheese, olives, and scallions.

Today I used the other batch to make chili using stew meat and canned black beans. I simmered the stew meat for several hours in the sauce, and then added the canned beans half an hour before serving. Served with sour cream, cheddar, and fresh hot tortillas.

From the Portland Oregonian:


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 7-ounce can whole green chiles, drained and chopped
1 pound green tomatoes or tomatillos, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vegetable broth or 1 vegetarian bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

To make sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the green chiles, green tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, broth and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor, add the cilantro and purée until smooth. Set aside.

Tweaks: I used less garlic, a fresh jalapeno instead of green chiles, and Better Than Bouillon chicken instead of vegetable broth.