"Tomatillo (pronounced toe-mah-tee-yo), a primary ingredient in Latin American green sauce (salsa verde), means "little tomato" in Spanish — but these beauties pack a lot of flavor into their small containers. With a distinctly tart, almost lemony flavor, tomatillos enhance a broad range of dishes, from guacamole and appetizers to stews and steaks."

As some of you may know I use my boyfriend T. as a guinea pig for new recipes. This past weekend I taught a class with Mexican influenced recipes, mostly highlighting the Tomatillo. I brought home leftovers and shared with him. After one bite he requested that I make this dish at home. I knew then that I had a hit on my hands. The second time I made it we used shredded chicken instead of the beef. This dish is also reheats very well.
*recipe adapted from epicurious.com

Beef Chiquiles

Yields- 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos husked, rinsed and halved

2 large garlic cloves

1 large jalapeñohalved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded

1/4 cup packed cilantro

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese (6 ounces)

1/2 cup queso fresco

1 scallion, sliced

One 6-ounce bag tortilla chips (8 cups) * We like the El Milagro brand of chips- very study, not too greasy

1/4 cup sour cream

1 pound flank steak- marinated and grilled*

*For the marinade:
4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

Make the Marinade
In a large bowl whisk together the garlic paste, the lime juice, the cumin, and the oil.

Add the steak to the marinade, turning it to coat it well, and let it marinate, covered and chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Grill the steak, drained, on a well-oiled rack set about 5 inches over glowing coals or in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until it is just springy to the touch, for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, the steak may be broiled on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat.) Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it stand for 10 minutes.Slice the steak thin across the grain on the diagonal and reserve

Make the Chilaquiles

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño and cilantro until smooth. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the cumin and coriander and cook over high heat until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the tomatillo puree, bring to a boil and cook until the sauce loses its bright green color, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the beef with 3/4 cup of the pepper Jack, the farmer cheese, scallion and half of the tomatillo sauce; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss the tortilla chips with the remaining sauce.
3. Spread half of the chips in an 8-by-11-inch baking dish; top with the beef and cover with the remaining tortilla chips. Don't pack the chips down. Dollop the sour cream over the chips and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup of pepper Jack. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is browned. Serve at once.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Chef Alekka