Black Bean Green Chili Enchiladas

We're baaaaaaack!  And we're maaaarrieeeeeed!

In short, the wedding was more wonderful, beautiful, and perfect than either of us could have imagined.  We spent two beautiful weeks in Colorado - first a few days to get ready for the big day, then afterwards we went to the mountains to wind down with friends.  Everyone who made the trip fell a little bit in love with Colorado, which swelled my own prodigious state pride even bigger.

Have I mentioned lately that I love being from Colorado?  Well, you'll just have to hear about it some more.  I love Colorado's foodscape - corn and peaches grow on the Western Slope of our mountains, with spicy influences from our southerly neighbors in New Mexico - and never forget our reputation as the Napa Valley of microbrewed beer.  Find me another state in which a microbrewery founder has also served as its governor!  Find me another farmer as kind and funny as Farmer Bob at Alida's Fruits, who customized, then hand-delivered jars of their peach jalapeno jam for our wedding guests.

Today I'm going to focus on Colorado's spicy side.  When I visited in March, I brought back a jar of vegetarian Colorado green chili and saved it for something special.  I wish we could have picked up another on this trip, but it was not to be.  We'll have to learn to make chili verde ourselves.

Photos courteously snapped by the Man of My Life, who is going to have to get a new nickname now that we're married.  Hungry Husband just sounds too much like that children's board game.  You know, the one with the hippos.

Black Bean Green Chili Enchiladas

makes 16 small enchiladas, to serve 4 with four enchiladas each

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes

ingredients:

vegetable oil, for cooking
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 habanero or 2 Thai chilis (to taste)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar (16 ounces) vegetarian green chili
16 corn tortillas
200 grams cheddar or other medium melty cheese, shredded
fresh cilantro, for garnish

directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Dice the onion and the garlic.  Preheat the oil to medium in a skillet.  Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until starting to soften, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add the chilis and cumin and cook until flavors start to blend, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Line the bottom of an oven-proof dish with a thin layer of chili so the enchiladas don't stick.  Fill tortillas with a layer of beans, a teaspoon of green chili, and a bunch of cheese - 1 or 2 teaspoons.  Spread a thin layer of chili on one edge of the tortilla and roll it up, using the chili to "glue" it closed.  Place tortillas next to each other, seam-side down, in the baking dish.

When all tortillas have been rolled and placed, cover the whole thing with the remaining chili and cheese.  Be generous, now - Tex-Mex practically invented the concept of gooey and cheesy food.

Place in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden-brown.  Top with fresh cilantro.  Serve with beans and rice.