Pumpkin Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Cafe Flora

I've never made the roasted tomatillo sauce but boughten salsa verde tasted just fine on it. Maybe if I make the Tomatillo sauce myself I'll put the recipe up. The enchilada directions are a lot to type up as it is.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus oil for the pan and cooking the tortillas

4 lb pumpkin, kabocha, or red kuri squash, unpeeled

1/2 lb button mushrooms

2 Tbsp tamari

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2-inch dice

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds, tasted and ground

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika; which I've never been able to find so I just use regular paprika)

1 tsp salt

12 thin corn tortillas

Roasted tomatilla Sauce (recipe follows

2 cups grated cheese (8 oz)

GET READY. Thoroughly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with some oil or cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

ROAST THE SQUASH. Split the pumpkin or squash in half, and scrape out the seeds and fiber. Put the cut sides down on a lightly greased baking sheet, and roast until tender and you can pierce the squash easily with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool.

ROAST THE MUSHROOMS. Ross the mushrooms in a medium bowl with the tamari and 1 Tbsp of the oil, and spread on a lightly greased baking sheet. You can put the mushroom in the oven with the squash; just leave some space between the racks. Roast for 30 minutes

SAUTE THE ONION AND ZUCCHINI. While the squash and mushrooms are in the oven, heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Add the spices and salt, and saute for 1 minute more. Set aside to cool.

MIX ALL THE VEGETABLES. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. When the mushrooms are cool, quarter or slice them thickly. Combine the squash, mushrooms, and onion-zucchini mixture in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly.

OIL THE TORTILLAS. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put a tortilla in the hot oil and fry until it is soft, 8 to 10 seconds, flip and repeat with the other side. Do not let the tortilla get crisp by letting the oil bubble up around its edges; reduce the heat to medium-low or low if this occurs. (It's important for the tortillas to be oily so they get crisp when roasted in the oven.)

KEEP THE TORTILLAS WARM. Put the tortilla on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Continue to heat the tortillas, piling them on on top of the other under the foil cover. (Keep the tortillas warm so they're pliable enough to stuff and roll without breaking.)

ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADA. Divide the squash filling equally among the 12 tortillas. Roll them up like tacos, and place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE ENCHILADA. Bake until the edges of the tortillas have begun to crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and just cover each enchilada with the tomatillo sauce. (This shouldn't be a bath of sauce.) Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted.