(courtesy of Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Nevada State Assemblywoman, and Jeff Thompson, chief meteorologist, KOLO-TV, in Reno. Makes 24 to 30 enchiladas, depending upon size.)
For enchiladas verdes sauce
20 fresh tomatillos, husked, washed, and quartered
3, 7-ounce cans mild, whole green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
⅓ cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon Tajín Clásico Seasoning
Dash of black pepper
Pinch of sugar
Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add tomatillos, chiles, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook until tomatillos are soft. Bring heat to medium-low. Using an immersion blender, purée to achieve sauce consistency. Stir in spices and simmer an additional 10 minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight.
For enchiladas
2 pounds pork, carnitas-style, or your choice of cut (i.e. pork shoulder or tenderloin)
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon Tajín
24 to 30, 6-inch Mission white corn tortillas
10 ounces El Mexicano Cotija cheese, divided
Season meat with garlic salt, cumin, and Tajín. Cook in slow cooker on high 4 to 6 hours, or on low 6 to 8 hours, until meat is fork tender and falls apart easily. Remove meat from slow cooker, drain off excess juices as necessary, and pull meat apart or shred with a fork. Mix in about 1 cup of enchiladas verdes sauce to moisten and flavor meat, then set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-by-12-inch casserole dishes by coating bottom of each with enchiladas verdes sauce. Place a tortilla in dish and turn to coat both sides. (For tortillas that remain crisp as they bake, fry them first in a skillet of hot oil on both sides for a few seconds before adding to the dish.) Add ¼ cup of shredded meat down center of tortilla, then roll to enclose. Repeat with next tortilla and continue until both casserole dishes are full and/or filling is used up.
Smother enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle half the Cotija cheese over each dish. Bake for 20 minutes until enchiladas are hot and bubbly. Any leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen, reheated, and enjoyed another day!
