Read the full story behind this dish here.
- 2 pounds ground bison (This would also be great with leftover shredded chicken)
- 1 packet taco seasoning (appx 4 Tbs if you buy in bulk, like I do)
- 1 can chunky Rotel
- 4 medium poblano peppers
- 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 jalepeno, diced (and seeded if you want to reduce the heat)
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 16 medium-large tomatillos, husked removed, rinsed and quartered
- 2 small handfuls of cilantro
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp agave
- 1 lime, juiced
- 12-16 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded cheese (Any mild cheese will work. I used 1.5 cups Monterey Jack and 1.5 cups light Swiss.)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1 :: Roast the poblano peppers
Set the broiler on high. Arrange the poblanos on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and put them under the broiler until blackened on all sides. This takes about 12 minutes. Turn the peppers once every 3-4 minutes to get an even char. (If you have gas burners or an outdoor grill, you can also roast the peppers that way. I am not currently blessed with such devices.)
Put the peppers in a bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. The steam will help release the skin for easy peeling. Allow the peppers to sit until cool enough to handle. While you wait, move on to making the sauce or the meat.
Once cooled, peel, seed, and roughly chop the peppers. Their next stop is the food processor, so this doesn’t need to be a small chop.
Step 2 :: Make the meat filling
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 Tbs of extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to coat the pan. Add ground bison and cook until just browned. Add taco seasoning and stir to combine. Add chunky Rotel and stir to combine. (If the meat looks too dry after adding the seasoning, add a little.) Simmer for 5-10 minutes until meat is cooked through and seasoning has time to marry with the meat.
Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. But don’t clean the pan — you want to save all those yummy juices for the next step…
Step 3 :: Make the tomatillo sauce
If there isn’t much oil left in the pan from the meat, add 1 more Tbs of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeno, and cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.
While that happens, put the rinsed and quartered tomatillos, the two handfuls of cilantro, and the roughly chopped poblanos in a food processor. Process until a smooth sauce forms, about 1 minute.
Pour tomatillo mixture into the skillet with the onions and stir to combine. Add the cumin, coriander, and agave, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (I added a LOT of salt here, but that’s just me.) Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the lime juice and turn off the heat.
Step 4 :: Assemble the dish
Grab a medium-sized casserole dish. Pour a thin layer tomatillo sauce on the bottom. Layer 4 or 5 tortillas, then meat, then cheese. You want just enough to cover each layer. Repeat this twice more. Finish with a layer of tomatillo sauce and cheese on top.
Bake at 375 degrees until heated through and all ooey-gooey on top, about 40-50 minutes.
Yield: appx 8 servings
Nutritional Info (per serving)
Calories — 520
Fat — 24.1 g
Carbohydrate — 25 g
Protein — 54 g
