Pork Enchiladas with Green Sauce...

Have you ever used tomatillos? You know, those papery, husked-covered fruits that are sometimes confused with green tomatoes? Thankfully, there is no confusion in taste - the fruit is citrusy, fresh and tart! When you are choosing them at the market, you want them to be firm to the touch and the color underneath the husks to be a vibrant green.

We gathered up a hefty three pounds worth at the market so we could prepare tonight's dinner of Pork Enchiladas with Green Sauce. The simple sauce is a combination of softened onions, garlic, a bit of water and the coarsely chopped tomatillos. Once the chunky pieces had softened, the sauce is transferred to a food process or blender to be pureed. The filling for these enchiladas is a combination of shredded roasted pork tenderloin, that was seasoned with smoky cumin, a portion of the loose green sauce and a cup of corn kernels.

Assembly of this dish is fairly messy, so be prepared - we first softened a stack of white corn tortillas in the microwave. Be sure to wrap them well with a moist paper towel so they don't dry out. Working with one tortilla at a time, they are dipped into the tangy sauce, filled with the shredded pork filling, topped with shreds of sharp white cheddar and then rolled up. While the original recipe didn't call for it, I did spread a thin layer of the sauce over the bottom of the baking dish before arranging the filled rolls inside - I just find this helps prevent any sticking.

Now that you and your work surface are covered in pureed tomatillos, the remaining sauce you used as a pool for the tortillas is spooned over the rolls, followed by the leftover cheese. Bake them, covered, until the sauce is bubbly - then remove the cover and finish baking them just long enough to allow the cheese on top to turn golden and a little crispy. Before diving in, be sure to let them rest in the pan for 10 minutes - this will help them hold together as you dish them out. I wondered how well this was going to turn out as it went into the oven, as it looked quite wet, but the sauce thickened and also absorbed into the white corn tortillas, without turning them to mush. This would be an easy and fun way to introduce a new food if you've never had the chance to try out tomatillos before. With bright, garlicky and bold flavors, I know I can't wait get a hold of the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Recipes
Pork Enchiladas with Green Sauce