You gotta love a veggie that dabbles in desserts and savory dishes. Zucchini lends itself to a variety of recipes with its moist and meaty composition and is easily camouflaged in everything from cakes to pasta sauce (one day in the distant future I will likely be sneaking it undetected into my kid’s meals for nutrients).
The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dish my friend served on Cinco de Mayo. By shredding the vegetable, sauteing with oil, and mixing in a touch of cheese, the richness of the zucchini is enough to make any carnivore forget the need for meat. I decided to stick with the zucchini base and add in some extra vegetables: sauteed corn, black beans, and fresh tomatoes. I chose to bake with salsa and extra cheese but would also recommend an Italian-style red sauce. These guys are impossible to resist…so much so that I went back for a few extra bites of leftovers from the Tupperware container in my fridge an hour after cleaning up!
Ingredients:
2 large zucchinis
1/2 cup of corn kernels (frozen, canned, or fresh)
2 roma tomatoes
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pack of large whole wheat tortillas
1 small can of green chilies
1 1/4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup of salsa (or tomato sauce)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 shallot
1/4 tablespoon of olive oil
Preferred spices: I used garlic salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a blender, food processor, or cheese grater, fully shred both zucchini and the shallot into a bowl.
Over medium heat, saute the clove of garlic in 1/4 tablespoon of olive oil for 2-3 minutes before adding in the shredded zucchini, shallot, and a touch of garlic salt. Saute over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until zucchini has softened. Immediately transfer to a bowl and add in 1/2 a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until fully incorporated and melted.
Meanwhile, dice up both roma tomatoes. Over medium heat, saute the green chilies, corn, diced tomato, and black beans until the tomato has cooked down and the liquid has cooked off. I also threw in some extra spinach from my fridge and sauteed until soft.
While sauteing, spice the mixture to your liking (cumin and cayenne pepper were my spices of choice). Remove the mix from heat.
Arrange a few spoonfuls of the bean mixture alongside the zucchini on a tortilla, careful not to over-stuff.
Roll the tortilla so that both ends are closed. Using a small cake pan or glass baking tray (at least 2-3 inches deep) line up your enchiladas in a row. Top with salsa and shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
For an extra crisp, turn on the broiler for the last 3 minutes and get that burnt-like cheesy texture and taste.
