Lentil and Swiss Chard Tacos (with Homemade Tortillas)
New Mexico Chiles are the dried form of the Red Anaheim Pepper. This chile has a thin flesh with an earthy chile flavor and undertones of wild cherries. This chile ranges from 2 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. The New Mexico Chile may be referred to as the California Chile or Chile Colorado. New Mexico Chiles are commonly used in Red Mexican or Southwestern sauces and is grown in Mexico. This mildly hot chile. Scoville heat units 8,000 – 12,000.
Suggested Use:
New Mexico Chiles are mildly hot and very popular in Southwest cooking. Great in sauces, salsa, rice dishes, stews and soups. Add directly to the cooking liquid along with other spices. Use in stir fry, or add to chicken or fish marinades.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced green onions
1/8-1/4 teaspoon dried chiles
1 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 1/2 cups water
Toppings:
A few stalks of Swiss Chard
One recipe for corn tortillas
1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt
1/3 cup cilantro
juice from one lime
Instructions:
Combine 1/8 teaspoon dried chiles, oregano, paprika, honey, and cocoa powder and set aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions, letting cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in spice mixture along with honey, let cook for one minute. Add in lentils and three cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Let lentils cook until tender but not mushy. If you find the lentils are still not tender and most the water has been absorbed, add in a bit more water to reach desired consistency. I will taste occasionally along the way to determine doneness and to determine if I need more dried chiles, salt, or honey. Lentils will cook anywhere from 25-35 minutes. If lentils are still not done but all the liquid has been absorbed, add a touch more water.
While lentils cook, whisk together yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro. Also, destem chard by folding in half and cutting along the stem, then roughly chop. If using freshly made tortillas, assembly is easy: just layer lentils, chard, and a couple dollops of greek yogurt mixture. If using store bought, wrap in a damp towel and stick in the oven at 250˚ until soft (15-20 minutes.)
From naturallyella.com