Hibiscus-Flower Enchiladas!
So much flavor!
I cherish finding vegetarian recipes like this.
I wish I had millions of them so I could easily go back to a vegetarian diet.
I'm thinking about it. Vegan even.
(I don't like cheese after all, so no worries about that.)
I'm not quite ready yet. I need more recipes like this!
Anyway.
The recipe! *Note: Dan used 1 chile but would have happily used 2 per the recipe if he was only cooking for himself. And speaking of cooking, he loved creating this. He said he felt like Bobby Flay. Haha.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Chef
Ricardo Muñoz Zurita invented this unusual vegetarian entrée in part to
support the indigenous people of Oaxaca, who grow and harvest hibiscus
(known in Spanish as flor de Jamaica). "The recipe is very
traditional," he says. "We just replace the meat with flowers." The
flavor of hibiscus defines this surprising dish; meaty, tangy, and
utterly irresistible.
Filling:
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 1/2 cup grated jicama
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chipotle sauce:
- 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored, halved
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large dried bay leaves
- Kosher salt
Assembly:
- Vegetable oil
- 12 6" corn tortillas
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese or feta, crumbled
- Ingredient info: Dried
hibiscus flowers, also called Jamaica flowers, are available at some
natural foods stores and at Latin markets. Look for canned chipotle
chiles and Cotija cheese at better supermarkets and at Latin markets.
Preparation
Filling
Bring hibiscus flowers and 2 cups water to a simmer in a small
saucepan. Remove from heat; let steep until flowers are just tender, 5–8
minutes. Strain; reserve flowers. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot
over medium heat; add onion and sauté until soft but not brown. Add
reserved hibiscus flowers, carrots, and next 4 ingredients; cook,
stirring often, until carrots are soft and liquid evaporates, about 15
minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Chipotle Sauce
Combine the first 4 ingredients and 2 cups water in a pot over medium
heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to fall apart,
about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender;
purée until smooth. Wipe out pot; add oil and heat over medium-high
heat. When oil begins to smoke, carefully add purée and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally,
until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
Assembly
Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1/4"; heat over medium-high
heat until shimmering. Working in batches, submerge tortillas and cook,
turning once, until they soften, 30–45 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
Put 1/4 cup of filling in center of each tortilla; roll to enclose.
Place 2 enchiladas on each plate. Smother with chipotle sauce and
garnish with sour cream, cabbage, and Cotija cheese.
