Between an oven that heats the entire upstairs to 350' or a charcoal BBQ that requires a bit of forethought to get going, turning on either for summer cooking is a bit of a commitment. I have been deterred from making enchiladas for the site because they are difficult to photograph, so not only did this recipe come with an obligation to a sweaty mid-July photo session with the oven on, but also the challenge of making them look as good as they tasted. We make enchiladas pretty often. I appreciate having them for dinner and then warming them back up with scrambled eggs for a slightly different meal the next day. I've experimented with a butternut squash, greens and white cheddar version in the fall and then stuffing them with a bounty of zucchini in the summer with a slight tang of soft goat cheese. A number of recipes will have you fry the tortillas before filling, but I don't find that necessary for caloric content or texture.
We added a few dates for upcoming book events. I would really love to meet as many of you as possible, so please come if you live anywhere close to these cities! A Seattle event of some sort will hopefully come around at a later date (please feel free to check in on The Book page, as well, for updates).
August 28th - Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Huntington Beach, CA at 7pm
September 9th - Omnivore in San Francisco, CA at 3 pm
September 22nd - Powell's Books in Portland, OR. Time TBD
ROASTED ZUCCHINI, BLACK BEAN + GOAT CHEESE ENCHILADAS // Serves 4
While short on time, I use the enchilada sauce from Trader Joes. It's thick and has a great kick to it. I have also made this one and loved it. Really good option if you have some time to make your own.
I would consider the below recipe pretty easy on the cheese all things considered in the enchilada world, but I like that for summer meals. If you want to taste more of the goat cheese, add more on top before or after baking.
3 large zucchini/summer squash, 1/4'' dice (about 4 cups once chopped)
3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/4 tsp. lemon pepper/garlic salt
1/2 of a small red onion or 4 green onions, finely chopped
1 15 oz. can/ 2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
5 oz. soft goat cheese
10ish corn tortillas (the amount will depend on how full you stuff them)
12 oz. red enchilada sauce, see note above
/ for serving /
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 avocados
squeeze of lime
Preheat oven to 425'. Place the zucchini on a rimmed baking tray, drizzle with 2 tsp. of the olive oil and lemon pepper and toss everything with your hands to coat. Spread in an even layer, using two pans if it looks crowded. Roast on the middle rack for about 30 minutes until the edges are brown. Remove to cool. Turn the oven down to 375'.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion and black beans. Set aside 1 oz. of the goat cheese for the topping and crumble the rest into the bowl. Add the cooled zucchini and toss everything together very gently.
Over a burner, lightly char both sides of the tortillas, about 1 minute per side. This is not an essential step, but I find that it helps keep the tortillas a bit sturdier and it looks pretty. Set up your assembly with the tortillas and the filling.
In an oven proof rectangle dish (I used a 7x13 rectangle but a 9x13 works great too) pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, fill it with a heaping 1/4 cup of the filling and roll it up like a taquito. Lay it in the dish seam-side down. Continue with remaining tortillas, squeezing the enchiladas in tight (you may have extra filling, it's great on it's own as a snack or in a quesadilla). Brush the tops of the tortillas with the remaining olive oil. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle reserved goat cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes until warmed through and the top is just crisp. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Top with lots of chopped cilantro, diced avocado and a squeeze of lime.
