Gail Simmons shows you how to use foods you already have in your pantry to make easy, delicious recipes. In this episode of the Pantry Project, Gail shows viewers how versatile tortillas can be. She's created three savory recipes that showcase their flavor.
Tortillas are unleavened flatbread made from corn flour or wheat flour and baked on a griddle. They're a great pantry item, because they can be used in so many different ways. In this video Gail shows viewers three recipes she's created that use tortillas, and then demonstrates how to make her Roasted Tomatillo and Chicken Chilaquiles recipe.
Gail begins by making the tomatillo salsa. She removes the papery husks from the tomatillos (fruits that resemble small green tomatoes) and quarters them, then slices a jalapeño in half. She coarsely chops an onion, then places all three ingredients on a parchment paper-lined baking tray along with two cloves of garlic and broils them. When everything is hot and slightly charred, she adds the mixture to a blender along with lime juice and cilantro, then purées it together to create the smoky, spicy salsa.
Next, she slices whole-wheat tortillas into 1/2-inch strips, then adds them to a bowl along with shredded chicken, cilantro, cumin, scallions and chili powder. She pours most of the tomatillo salsa into the mixture, then stirs to combine well. (You want all of the tortilla strips to be well-coated with the salsa so they get soft when they bake.) She transfers the mixture to a baking dish, then tops it with queso fresco and shredded mozzarella cheese. She keeps aluminum foil over the top while it bakes, then removes it and sets the dish under the broiler to achieve a brown, bubbling top.
Recipes:
Tortilla Crusted Shrimp with Avocado Crema
Scallop Ceviche On Fried Tortilla Crisps
Roasted Tomatillo and Chicken Chilaquiles