summer squash enchiladas.

after 6 weeks in germany, i was ready for some mexican food when i returned to the states. after an incredible visit to san francisco's premiere vegan mexican restaurant, gracias madre - and the best tamale i've ever had - i thought i'd try my hand at some vegan enchiladas. 

i was really pleased by how simple these were to throw together, and how delicious they tasted. i sauteed some zucchini and summer squash, wrapped them in tortillas, and topped them with a delicious enchilada sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. after a half hour in the oven, my apartment smelled incredible. served with a side salad, this is a perfect late summer meal. 

summer squash enchiladas

inspired by my undying love of mexican food

squash filling:

1 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

4 zucchinis/summer squashes, cubed

1 tsp coriander

salt and pepper

enchilada sauce:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 hot pepper, minced (seeds removed if you want a mild sauce)

1 tsp olive oil

3 heirloom tomatoes, finely diced

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

pull it all together with:

5 corn or flour tortillas 

1/2 cup grated cheese/soy cheese of your choice 

chopped cilantro (optional)

chopped scallions (optional)

preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

start by making the enchilada sauce. in a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic and pepper in some olive oil. add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. bring to a boil. reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. add more spices to taste. set aside until ready to use.

in a medium nonstick skillet, sauté the garlic, ginger and scallions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. add zucchini, coriander, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 7-9 minutes (the cooking time will depend on the type of zucchinis - you want them to be basically cooked through). when they’re ready, transfer to a medium sized bowl.

now it’s time to make the enchiladas. put a few tablespoons of the zucchini saute in each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in a baking dish (i’m lazy and used the same skillet for baking the enchiladas that I had sautéed the zucchinis in).

top with enchilada sauce and cheese. bake until hot and the cheese is melted/slightly browned, about 25-30 minutes. serve with chopped cilantro and scallions.