This year Tony and I welcomed two new members to our family, our Great nephew Lincoln Joseph Hopper and our Great Niece Amelia Catherine Salza - we became "Greats" for the 3rd and 4th time !
We were so excited to meet the new babies and wanted to make it easy for all the parents involved so we arrived with dinner prepared.
Vegetarian Enchiladas fit the bill , Gluten free and delicious - easy to assemble , can be prepared ahead of time , they travel well and are a breeze to heat and eat- so full of flavor you really won't miss the meat , but this could easily be recreated to include meat, poultry or shrimp !
Enjoy!
Vegetarian Enchiladas serves 8 approx 24 Enchiladas
375*F covered for 20-30 minutes
Before you begin this recipe , place one block of extra firm Tofu in the freezer and defrost completely.
To keep this Gluten Free look for Gluten free Tortillas - currently available in Corn or Soft Flour - we selected Heirloom Corn Tortillas Gluten Free and Non GMO from Wholefoods .
Enchilada Sauce :
8 cups of Vegetable Stock
1 TBSP Plus 1 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Tomato Paste
1/4 cup Chili Seasoning Powder
1/4 cup Cumin
3 minced cloves of Garlic
Salt & Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Gluten free All Purpose Flour
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan , simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
Create a slurry by mixing Gf Flour with 1/2 cup of water and whisk to smooth consistency- add to sauce , whisking to incorporate to a uniform mixture , bring to a boil for 3 minutes.
Using a Blender , blend until smooth and run through a strainer -Set aside and allow to cool.
Vegetarian Enchilada Filling:
Drain defrosted Tofu , place in colander and crumble and squeeze out moisture - this will mimic the texture of ground beef and soak up the flavors of the vegetables and seasonings.
Saute :
2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
2- Diced onions
1 lb Cremini Mushrooms sliced
1-large diced Red Pepper
Cook until softened.
Add :
1- peeled and diced eggplant
1- diced zucchini
Cook mixture until eggplant is very soft
add vegetable stock as needed - you do not want the filling to be too saucy
add crumbled tofu
3 -TBSP Chili Seasoning Powder
2- TBSP Cumin
3- cloves minced Garlic
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
10-15 drops of Tabasco
cook for 15 minutes.
allow mixture to cool.
Add Chopped Fresh Cilantro to taste.
In a separate bowl combine 1 lb shredded Mozzarella with I lb shredded Cheddar and
add 1 cup to cooled Enchilada filling.
Assembly
Cover Bottom of your baking pan with a layer of Enchilada sauce
Warm tortillas in a dry pan on medium heat so they are pliable , dip both sides in enchilada sauce place 1/4 cup of cooled filling in tortilla and roll, place in baking dish.
Top Enchiladas down the center with 1 cup Enchilada Sauce, shredded cheese for garnish.
Cover in foil and refrigerate until needed or bake as directed above.
Serve with Homemade Salsa ,Guacamole, Shredded Cheese, Shredded Lettuce ,Sour cream and garnish with a few sprigs of Fresh Cilantro.
