Squash Enchiladas

An enchilada is a corn tortilla wrapped around a filling and baked in a tomato sauce. 

Enchiladas can be filled with meat or seafood or a combination of cheese, beans and vegetables. This recipe uses a spicy Mexican tomato sauce called a mole, which has a little cocoa added to complement the flavour of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

Enchiladas
Oil for greasing
1 small butternut squash
1 x 400g can mixed beans OR red kidney beans
1 small bunch (10g) fresh coriander
4 wholemeal tortilla wraps
Mole sauce and topping
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 red chilli
1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil
1 x 5ml spoon ground coriander
¼ x 5ml spoon ground cinnamon
2 x 5ml spoons cocoa powder
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
75g reduced-fat mature Cheddar cheese
150g reduced-fat sour cream

Equipment

Weighing scales
Small bowl
Pastry brush
Large ovenproof dish
Baking tray
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Dessert spoon
Measuring spoons
Oven gloves
Garlic press
Medium frying pan
Wooden spoon
Can opener
Medium bowl
Colander
Grater
Pan stand

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan or gas mark 6.
2. Grease the ovenproof dish and baking tray.
3. Using a large knife, cut off the base of the butternut squash to leave a flat surface. Stand the squash on its flat end, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds using a dessert spoon.
4. Place the deseeded squash on a baking tray, flat side down. Bake for 40 minutes or until soft. Leave to cool.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the mole sauce. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Remove the seeds from the chilli using a teaspoon and chop finely (wash your hands after handling the chilli).
6. Heat the oil in the frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry gently until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the ground coriander and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add the cocoa powder and tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Scoop the cooked, cooled butternut squash flesh into a bowl and discard the skin. Tip the beans into the colander, rinse in cold water and drain. Finely chop the fresh coriander and add to the squash with the beans. Mix well.
9. Make the topping by grating the cheese into a small bowl, then add the sour cream and stir to combine.
10. To assemble the enchiladas, spread 4 x 5ml spoons of mole sauce on each wrap. Place a quarter of the squash and bean mixture in a sausage shape down the middle on top of the sauce and roll up. Place the rolls in the greased ovenproof dish.
11. Spread the enchiladas with the remaining mole sauce then spoon over the sour cream topping and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
12. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, peeling, crushing, grating, boiling/simmering, frying and baking.

Top Tips

• Wholemeal tortillas are higher in fibre and minerals than white tortillas.
• To save energy, roast the squash in advance when you are already using the oven. Leave the squash to cool then store, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Something to try next time

Try these enchiladas using different types of squash or pumpkin.

If you have leftover roast chicken you can add about 100g to the bean and squash mixture at step 8.

Prepare now, eat later

• Follow the recipe up to step 10. Ensure the enchiladas are cold before covering the dish securely with clingfilm and placing in the freezer. Freeze the rest of the mole sauce in a separate container. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then follow the cooking instructions in step 11, at the temperature given in step 1.