Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

The recipe below was freely adapted, a couple of years ago, from the magazine pages of Everyday Food. Because the enchiladas themselves are so mild in spice, Cafe Drake serves this with the fieriest salsa in our repertoire.

ENCHILADAS WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

While the combination may seem unusual, trust us, you'll like it! And besides being loaded with antioxidants and mega doses of Vitamin A, pumpkins are an indigenous staple of the Latin American diet.

1/2 of a store-bought rotisserie chicken / 6 green onions, sliced / salt and pepper / 1 can pumpkin puree / 3 garlic cloves / 1 jalapeno chicken, sliced / 2 t. chili powder / 8 corn tortillas / plenty of shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


2. Shred chicken and mix with onions. Season with salt and pepper.


3. In a blender, combine and process till smooth: pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 t. salt, some black pepper and 2 1/2 cups water.


4. Pour 1 cup of this sauce into a baking dish.


5. Roll tortillas around chicken filling and place in dish. The seam side should be facing down.


6. Pour all remaining sauce over the tortillas and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Use caution that the sauce not bubble over the dish and onto oven floor.

CAFE DRAKE'S FIERY SALSA

Too spicy to eat with chips, this salsa is better (and delicious) as a relish or condiment. Try it with soft scrambled eggs and warm tortillas for a breakfast sure to kick-start your day.

4 habanero chile peppers / 4 poblano peppers / 3 tomatoes, seeded and diced / chopped cilantro / 1 T. red wine vinegar / 2 T. olive oil / salt to taste

1. Broil all peppers on a baking sheet till soft and slightly charred.


2. Chop well and mix with remaining ingredients.