Budín Azteca Recipes

BUDIN AZTECA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Char poblanos over an open flame until blackened, 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam 10 minutes. Char tortillas over an open flame, turning once, 15 to 20 seconds per side, and place inside a clean kitchen towel to steam and soften. Peel skins from poblanos, discard stems and seeds, and coarsely chop.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onion and cook until onion becomes translucent, 3 minutes. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, and chipotles to pan and cook, 30 seconds. Add pureed tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 5 minutes.
• Spread 1 cup tomato sauce across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer five tortillas over sauce and cover tortillas with half the remaining sauce, half the poblanos, half the cream, half the chicken, and half the cheese. Repeat with a second layer of remaining tortillas, sauce, poblanos, cream, chicken, and cheese.
• Cover baking dish with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbly and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine radishes, romaine, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon salt. Serve dish topped with salad.

BUDIN AZTECA (AZTEC CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet, add the onion and garlic and saute until transparent. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and cook for 10 more minutes. Correct the seasoning and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the corn and zucchini and cook 2 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook over low heat for 8 minutes or until the zucchini is crisp-tender.
• Heat some oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas for 30-40 seconds on each side, just to soften. Set aside. (You could use cooking spray or sprinkle with water to soften and lower fat).
• Place a thin layer of veggies on the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of 4-5 corn tortillas and then a layer of tomato sauce. Add half the remaining veggies, half the chiles, 1/2 cup cream, half the chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with the cheese. Bake uncovered until the cheese begins to melt. About 10-15 minutes.

TORTILLA CASSEROLE (BUDIN AZTECA)

Steps:

• Place chiles directly over the flame of a gas-stove burner on high heat. Roast chiles, turning with tongs, until blackened all over. (Alternatively, broil chiles on a baking sheet, turning, until skin has charred.) Transfer to a bowl, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Set aside to steam, about 15 minutes. Peel chiles; discard skins. Remove stems, seeds, and ribs; cut chiles into 1-by-1/2-inch strips. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush tortilla halves on both sides with 3 tablespoons oil. Arrange on baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until tortillas begin to bubble (before becoming crunchy), 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Wash spinach, and drain but do not dry. Add spinach to skillet. Cover, and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly. Squeeze out liquid. Coarsely chop, and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in chiles; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, mashing slightly with the back of a wooden spoon, 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Line bottom of a 10 1/4-inch-round, 2 1/2- to 3-inch-deep baking dish with 12 tortilla halves, overlapping slightly. Layer with chile mixture, half the bean mixture, and half the crema. Spread 3/4 cup salsa over top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat for second layer, using spinach instead of the chiles. Top with remaining tortillas, 3/4 cup salsa, and 1/2 cup cheese.
• Bake until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour; cover with foil for last 15 minutes if browning too quickly or becoming too dry. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with more salsa and crema.