Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles is a traditional mexican casserole baked with tortilla chips in the casserole to soak up all of that yummy sauce. It is basically a dish that uses up leftovers (like Bi Bim Bop in Korean cuisine). Chilaquiles often contains some sort of greens like Swiss Chard.

When I was making this I had a bad feeling about it. I don't know why I didn't think this was going to be a good recipe. I was VERY surprised when I tasted it. It was so good that I had to text my husband (who wasn't home that night): "holy chilaquile, nom nom nom". The sauce is what truly makes this dish. The sauce plus a nice background flavor of lime. In a lot of the recipes that I've posted this week, I'd say you could replace the homemade sauce with some Hatch Chile Sauce, but not this recipe. Don't replace the sauce. Make your own for this dish and you will be rewarded.

Chilaquiles

1 recipe red chile tomato sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp mexican oregano (or substitute mediterranean oregano)
1 cup corn kernals, preferably fresh
1 bunch of chard, stems removed, chopped
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 cups crushed sturdy tortilla chips
1/2 cup vegan parmesan, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until softened and starting to brown. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the corn and cook for another minute. Add the chard and a tablespoon of water, cover and cook for a minute or so until wilted. You can stir the chard in the middle of this cooking time. Add cilantro and lime and remove from heat.

Oil a 7x9 casserole. Layer the fillings and sauce and chips like a lasagne. Add 1/2 of the tortilla chips followed by 1/4 of the sauce. Add 1/2 of the greens mixture and 1/2 of the pinto beans. Add 1/4 of the sauce. Add the other 1/2 of the greens mixture and the other half of the pinto beans. Add 1/4 of the sauce. Add the other half of the tortilla chips. Top with the vegan parmesan and then drizzle over the remaining sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with crema, tofu queso fresco, avocado (or guacamole), and more chips.

Here is a pic of the Chard filling. All of this green goodness went into this casserole along with about 2 cups of pinto beans: