Recipe Review: Eggplant and Almond Enchiladas

A little over a week ago I was able to catch a broadcast on our local public radio station, KQED, that was featuring Mollie Katzen, a well-known Jewish chef and writer of all things vegetarian. To be honest, prior to the radio program, I had never heard of Katzen. After hearing her tantalizing talk of whipping vegetables into palatable pleasures, I did some research of my own on her website and discovered some alluring recipes. The one that spoke to me the most was "Eggplant and Almond Enchiladas," and I tried my hand at it this weekend.

I prepared the enchiladas over the course of the weekend, making the Mexican red sauce on Saturday morning and refrigerating until Sunday evening for dinner. The red sauce portion of the recipe was easy to follow and its robust, zesty smell filled the whole house. Next time I make it, however, I will be modifying the level of spice, as it was just a little too powerful for me. Ashwin, of course, loved the spice level.

The enchiladas themselves were easy to prepare with the simple steps provided in Katzen's recipe. I rolled the enchiladas, which were bursting with the succulent filling. They were then heavily doused with the piquant red sauce, sprinkled with Jack cheese, and then baked in the oven for 30 minutes. We decided to serve them with Ashwin's lime and cilantro rice.

The enchiladas blanketed in the homemade red sauce served with lime and cilantro rice

The enchiladas were scrumptious, velvety, and completely satisfying. They exceeded my expectations, as the spices and various textures danced on my tongue. My only regret is not garnishing them with a bit of cilantro on top to add some color to the muddled red of the sauce. Ashwin took a small dish of the enchiladas to work for lunch and returned home with an empty vessel, every last morsel (probably) licked clean.

Prior to having made this recipe, I pre-ordered Katzen's latest cookbook, the Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation. After this gastronomical feat, I am looking forward to diving head (or mouth) first into enticing recipes such as Cumin-Scented Black Bean Burgers, Spiced Carrots in Thick Cranberry-Orange Vinaigrette, and Caramelized Onion and Lemon Marmalade. 

Now go wipe your mouth and get cooking, if you haven't already. Happy eating!