When I'm in a rush or just happen to have small tortillas on hand at home, I turn to simplifying enchiladas into a casserole I can bake and dish out of the pan onto eager plates. This time around, I happened to have street taco style corn tortillas, but also a giant craving for poblano pepper and corn enchiladas. No worries - I decided the flavors involved were more important than the presentation and simply folded the tortillas around the fillings taco-style! Plus the leftovers actually reheated perfectly in this format. Win. Win. Win!
If you wanted to include meat, shredded chicken or pork could easily be subbed in for the black beans and you would not need to change anything else. I'm kind of a fan of a meatless meal though and have gotten into the habit of including one or two in my menu plans each week. Give it a try - this is one meal that really doesn't leave you wondering where the animal protein went.
If you want, you can dice avocado, chop red onion, and sprinkle some fresh cilantro on this casserole. A dollop of sour cream might also be enjoyed. Really, anything you might garnish enchiladas with will also work for this yummy meal. Then pour a beer or fix a margarita or maybe a limeade for those wishing to avoid alcohol and dig in!
Poblano Pepper & Corn Enchilada Casserole
- 2 ears corn, husked
- 4 poblano peppers, halved
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 T. olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 c. chopped tomatoes
- 2-4 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped (or 1 T. chipotle chili powder)
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. honey
- 10-12 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Arrange the corn, poblano peppers, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the vegetables have a light char.
Remove the corn kernels from the cob, de-seed the poblano pepper and chop, and chop the onions and garlic. Add everything back to the baking sheet and toss with black beans, 1 cup tomatoes, the chipotle, paprika, honey, and half the cheese; set aside.
Pour 1 cup of the remaining chopped tomatoes into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spoon the vegetable filling down the center of each tortilla, fold taco-style, and place the tortillas, all facing the same direction in each row into the baking dish. Stir any remaining filling into the remaining chopped tomatoes and pour over top of the enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the still hot oven, until the cheese has melted. Serve warm.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: About an hour