Gracie’s Chilaquiles Verdes with Green Salsa

Gracie González’s love of chilaquiles goes back to summers when I was a kid. We used to go to Mexico with my mom to spend time with my grandmother.

“These summers made for some of my fondest food memories. Instead of going grocery shopping, we went to the tianguis and bought meat from the neighbor, who was a butcher. I was with my mom and grandmother, the two best cooks I have ever known,” says the Chicagoland local.

“Those summers are when I first had nopales and tuna (prickly pears) and barbacoa cooked in the ground. And those summers are when I first tried chilaquiles. The ingredients were always on hand, including day-old tortillas to make use of and an abundant amount of salsa. I ate chilaquiles almost every day without getting tired of them.”

“All the other chilaquiles I’ve ever had that my family didn’t make, the tortillas and salsa are combined in the pan, so the tortillas would absorb the salsa and create a lasagna-like texture. Then they are plated with refried beans on the side, and maybe a fried egg.”

“They’re great, I love them this way, too.”

“But I especially love when the tortillas are crispy, so I’ve switched my chilaquiles recipe up a little. I keep the tortillas and salsa separate until plating to ensure maximum crispiness.”

“I also like to layer everything on top of one another, so you can get a spoonful of everything at once in every bite. Finally, I highly recommend topping your chilaquiles with the fried egg, so that when you cut into it with your spoon, the yolk oozes out onto the rest of your ingredients and combines with the cotija cheese and tomatillo salsa to create a luscious, creamy, spicy sauce. It’s so good — and it takes me right back to those summers in Mexico with my mom and grandmother.”

“Thank you for this beautiful family recipe, Gracie.

Editorial note: We are chiming in to second Gracie’s shoutout to her mother and grandmother as gifted cooks. We especially bow in super-cocinera honor to Gregoria “Gollita” González, Gracie’s mom.

Gollita’s Mexican dishes are so good, they go beyond restaurant-worthy. Taste why for yourself in these González family recipes shared with Familia Kitchen by Gracie and her sister Ana:
• My Mom Gollita’s Mexican Caldo de Pollo
• Gollita’s Essential Mexican Arroz
• Gollita’s tangy, easy, great Porkchops with Tomato Sauce and Onions

Ready to make Gracie’s chilaquiles with salsa verde?

Gracie’s Chilaquiles Verdes with Green Salsa

Recipe by Gracie González

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

For Chilaquiles

• 1 dozen corn tortillas (day-old)

• 1 cup oil for frying, such as corn or avocado

• 2 cups black beans, cooked (boiled not refried)

• 6 eggs

• 1 cup cotija cheese

• For Green Salsa

• 2 lbs tomatillos, husked and rinsed

• 4 serrano chiles, rinsed, stemmed

• 1 to 2 tsp olive oil

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic

• 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt

Directions

• The night before, set out tortillas on your kitchen counter to dry out. This step is optional, but makes for easier frying and crispier chilaquiles. Totally worth it.
• Make your salsa: Boil tomatillos and serrano chiles until their skin softens. The tomatillos are done when they turn a little more sage green and their skin starts to peel.
• Place the tomatillos, serrano chiles, garlic and salt in blender. Pulse until smooth and well processed. There should be no visible seeds or chunks of chile or garlic. Set aside.
• Over a medium-high flame, heat frying oil in a large pan. A wok is great if you have one, but if not, any large pan will do.
• Stack stale tortillas in a pile and slice into ½” strips. Use one of the longer strips to test your oil. Dip it into the oil. if you have enthusiastic little bubbles, it’s ready. Fry a handful at a time. They are done when they are golden and the oil is less enthusiastic.
• With a slotted spoon or spider strainer, take the tortillas out of the oil, straining as much oil off as possible. Place them on a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels, or a wire rack. Repeat until all tortillas are fried. Set aside.
• In a separate pan, heat 1 tsp cooking oil (Gracie uses olive oil) over medium heat. Add the salsa. Be careful because it will splatter. Carefully stir the salsa and boil for 1 minute. Lower the heat and simmer. It should become velvety in texture. This step should take no more than 5 minutes.
• Heat the black beans.
• Fry 6 eggs, so that they are each still a bit runny.
• Crumble the cotija cheese.
• You’re ready to plate. Gracie’s preferred way to serve chilaquiles is in layers. In a bowl, she adds in this order: 1 spoonful black beans; 1 generous handful of tortilla strips; 1 egg; 1 spoonful of green salsa; and 1 to 2 Tbsp of cotija cheese.
• Eat right away and with a big spoon!

Notes

• If you live on the edge, use 5 serrano chiles instead of 4.
• Instead of frying the tortillas, you can bake them in the oven using a fraction of the oil. It’s also less messy. What you do is: lay out your tortilla strips on a baking sheet and brush or spray with a tiny bit of oil on both sides. Bake at 350° until golden and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes — but keep a close eye on them, so they don’t burn.
• You can also skip step #7: frying the salsa. Then just follow the rest of the steps.

Photo: CarlosRojas20