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Anyone who knows me or who simply follows this blog either on the web or via social media can see that I am an omnivore and that most of my family is as well. However, I am conscious that global food trends are becoming more and more vegetal every day. Now, enchiladas have always been part of the Mexican diet, right? Well, a couple of years ago when I was visiting family and friends in Mexico City, I found a similar option in a menu at a restaurant where I went to have breakfast, and even though my choice was a different one, they stayed in my mind for a while. Months afterwards, I had made hibiscus agua fresca, but before disposing of them, I decided it was the best moment to try my own version of the dish. Here’s what I did:

Hibiscus Enchiladas in a Chipotle & Arbol Chili Salsa

When I was a child, enchiladas were normally stuffed with chicken. This vegetarian option is delicious and gives a second life to your hibiscus flowers after aromatizing your agua fresca.

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Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: enchiladas, lockdown2020, Mexican food, stay home, Vegetarian

Servings:

Equipment

Ingredients

For the sauce:

4 (4) tomatoes
1 (1) onion
1 clove (1 clove) garlic
2 (2) árbol chili, hydrated
1 (1) smoked chipotle chili
60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable stock, if necessary
Kosher salt and allspice, to season

For the stuffing:

50 g (2 cups) hibiscus flowers, dehydrated
¼ (¼) onion, finely diced
1 clove (1 clove) garlic, finely chopped

To assemble the enchiladas:

Frying oil
12 (12) Corn flowers
100 g (¼ cup) Mexican crema
100 g (½ cup) Cotija cheese
¼ (¼) onion, finely diced

To Prepare

The easiest way to make this salsa, I think, is to put the onion, the garlic clove, and tomatoes to roast in the oven at 350 °F (180 °C) with a drizzle of oil. Then, blend with the chipotle and the re-hydrated árbol chiles. Season with kosher salt and allspice and adjust the texture with a bit of vegetable stock. You don’t want your salsa to be excessively runny.
Then, in a skillet with a little bit of oil, sweat the onion and then add the garlic and the hibiscus flowers as well as a couple spoonfuls of salsa to season the flowers.
Warm your tortillas and then slightly fry them for a moment in a skillet with oil.
Form your enchiladas by taking a bit of the flower stuffing and folding the tortilla by half.
Bathe with the salsa and add a bit of the Mexican crema or crème fraîche, fresh finely diced onion and a bit of cotija cheese on top. If you want to omit the crema and the cotija you will have some delicious vegan enchiladas.

Notes

Hibiscus flowers generally come as the by-product that is left over after preparing a pitcher of agua fresca on the warmer days or tea on the colder ones.
If Mexican crema is not available, substitute with crème fraîche. Avoid using sour cream.

Nutrition

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