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Eggplant-zucchini-pepper enchiladas

Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Yields Serves 4 to 6
Eggplant-zucchini-pepper enchiladas
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
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Eggplant usually gets short shrift in Southwestern food, but it takes just as well to cumin, oregano and cilantro as do some of its usual companions: zucchini and bell peppers. A saute of the three vegetables diced small makes an excellent filling for a burrito or taco and an even better enchilada. A fruity, mildly piquant ancho chile sauce brings it all together.

Use a good heavy globe eggplant, not a skinny or dainty Asian variety. You want a high proportion of flesh to skin to get the most sublime flavor and texture.

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Ancho sauce

1

Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and place the peppers in a glass bowl. Pour boiling water over to cover by 3 inches and let them soak until very soft, about 30 minutes.

2

Drain the peppers and place them in a blender with the garlic and oregano. Strain the soaking water and add 1 1/2 cups to the blender. Puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean, shallow pie plate; season with salt and set aside.

Enchiladas and assembly

1

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and pepper. Stir in about one-half teaspoon coarse sea salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini and the remaining one-half-teaspoon salt. Cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Stir in the oregano and cumin and remove from the heat.

2

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Coat the bottom with about 2 tablespoons sauce. Set aside.

3

Heat about 1 inch oil in 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. With tongs, sweep 1 tortilla through the hot oil just long enough to coat and soften (about 10 seconds). Lift it out with tongs and drain off excess oil. Dredge it through the chile sauce to coat, then lay it into the prepared pan so that half the tortilla extends up the side. Spoon about 2 tablespoons vegetable mixture down the center, then top with about 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up to enclose the filling and turn the seam side down. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling. Spoon any remaining sauce evenly over the assembled enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

4

Bake until the tortillas are soft and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes; do not over-bake. Serve hot, garnished with chopped lettuce and radishes and a drizzle of crema, if desired.

Dried ancho chiles are available at Latino markets and in the Latino food sections of grocery stores.