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.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Chef's Knife
- Baking sheet
- 2 Medium skillets
- Blender
- Turner or Rigid Spatula
- Several spoons
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 árbol chili hydrated
- 1 smoked chipotle chili
- 60 ml vegetable stock if necessary
- Kosher salt and allspice to season
For the stuffing:
- 50 g hibiscus flowers dehydrated
- ¼ onion finely diced
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
To assemble the enchiladas:
- Frying oil
- 12 Corn flowers
- 100 g Mexican crema
- 100 g Cotija cheese
- ¼ onion finely diced
Instructions
- 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.
