Combo Enchiladas (three) Recipe

Prep and cook steak

Season the thinly sliced skirt or flank steak with 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, and 0.25 tsp ground cumin. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until browned but not overcooked. Remove steak to a plate and tent with foil; slice more thinly if needed for filling.

Sauté onions and peppers

In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the sliced yellow onion and both bell peppers. Season with 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, 0.25 tsp garlic powder and 0.25 tsp ground cumin. Sauté over medium heat 5–6 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside. Reserve half of these veggies to mix with the chicken filling and half to mix with the beef filling.

Warm shredded proteins

If pork carnitas and shredded chicken are cold, warm them briefly in a pan with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of salt until heated through (2–3 minutes). For chicken, mix half of the sautéed peppers and onions into the shredded chicken to make the chicken fajita filling. For beef enchilada, combine the sliced cooked steak with the remaining peppers and onions.

Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. Add husked tomatillos and jalapeño; simmer 5–7 minutes until tomatillos are softened and slightly translucent. Drain and transfer to a blender with quartered white onion, cilantro, lime juice, 1 tsp vegetable oil and 0.75 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. If sauce is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons water to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Keep warm.

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoon flour and cook 1 minute to make a roux. Slowly whisk in 1 cup beef stock until smooth. Add 0.5 tsp chili powder, 0.25 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp soy sauce (or Worcestershire), 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.

Whisk together 0.5 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons salsa verde (or 2 tbs tomatillo purée), 1 tsp lime juice and 0.25 tsp salt until smooth. If too thick, thin with 1 teaspoon water. Keep chilled or at room temperature until assembling.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high. Quickly warm each corn tortilla 10–15 seconds per side in the oil to make them pliable (do not brown heavily). Transfer warmed tortillas to paper towels to drain briefly.

Assemble three enchiladas: For the pork carnitas enchilada: dip or spread a thin layer (about 2 tablespoons) of the warm tomatillo verde sauce inside each tortilla, place 1/3 cup shredded pork carnitas in the center, sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese, roll tightly and place seam-side down in a shallow baking dish. For the chicken fajita sour cream enchilada: fill one tortilla with ~1/3 cup chicken + sautéed veggies mixture, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, roll and place in the dish. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the chicken sour cream sauce over the top of that enchilada. For the beef fajita enchilada: fill one tortilla with the steak + veggies mixture, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, roll and place in the dish. You will be assembling three enchiladas total; leftover tortillas can be discarded or reserved.

Top the pork enchilada with an additional 3–4 tablespoons of the warm tomatillo sauce and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Pour about 3–4 tablespoons of the warm beef gravy over the beef enchilada, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on top. The chicken enchilada should already have the sour cream sauce; add an extra tablespoon of shredded cheese on top if desired.

Bake the assembled enchiladas in the preheated oven 12–15 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauces are bubbly. If you prefer a lightly browned top, broil 1–2 minutes while watching closely.

Remove from oven. Garnish the pork enchilada with a spoonful of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Garnish the chicken enchilada with a few extra cilantro leaves and diced white onion if desired. Garnish the beef enchilada with cilantro. Serve the three enchiladas together with lime wedges on the side.