Components of Enchiladas Suizas

• Enchiladas suizas typically comprise corn tortillas filled with chicken, drenched in a rich tomatillo-cream sauce and topped with cheese. Many methods call for roasting or boiling tomatillos, then pureeing them with cilantro, jalapeno or poblano chiles, onion, garlic, spices and cream -- traditionally crema or sour cream, although creme fraiche or heavy cream is sometimes used. Some variations on the dish use roasted tomatoes rather than tomatillos, while others omit the tomatoes or tomatillos altogether, using only cream.

Components of Salsa Verde

• Salsa verde gets its green color from tomatillos and, often, cilantro. Much like a traditional tomato salsa, it also features onions, garlic and a bit of heat from jalapenos or other chiles. It differs from most tomato-based salsas in that it is pureed to a fine, sauce-like consistency. This consistency lends itself well to coating or smothering tortillas for enchiladas, and, indeed, salsa verde alone is used in one of several variations on enchiladas.

Substituting Salsa Verde

• Whether you make yours from scratch or buy it bottled at the grocery store, using salsa verde to make enchiladas suizas is easy. For enough sauce to make eight enchiladas, combine about 2 3/4-cups salsa verde with 1/2-cup sour cream or crema. If you are making your own salsa verde, factor in about 1/2 cup of cream for every pound of tomatillos used.

Alternative Method and Tips

• Another way to make enchiladas suizas with salsa verde is to simply assemble the enchiladas with salsa verde alone, rather than first blending in the cream, and then top them with sour cream before baking. If you are making your own salsa verde, don't puree the tomatillo mixture too long; doing so will grind down the tomatillo seeds and result in a pasty consistency. Homemade salsa verde can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator; reheat it before assembling the enchiladas.