Ken Lane hunts for the enchiladas at the Scripps Cinco de Mayo party, while Mary Miron looks on.

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From tamales and tacos to black beans and lemon bars, the Cinco de Mayo covered-dish buffet at Scripps was a delightful success May 5.

The Citizen staff, along with employees of the company’s other newspapers, hoped to sample this authentic recipe for enchiladas – the comfort food of Mexico.

If you care to cheat, substitute boneless, skinless breast of chicken and use one cup of sour cream thinned with two tablespoons of milk instead of Mexican crema.

Enchiladas can be made either with a deep red chilé sauce, or this vibrant green tomatillo sauce.

Enchiladas...

Serves 6

2 lbs. chicken breast

Adobo with pepper, to taste ½ white onion

2 t minced garlic

1/3 C Mexican crema

Sauce...

3 Serrano chilés, destemmed

2 cans (26 oz.) whole tomatillos, drained

1 ½ t minced garlic or

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

½ cup chopped white onion

3 T chopped cilantro

1 T. vegetable oil

1 t Adobo with pepper

Enchiladas...

1/3 C vegetable oil

12 corn tortillas

1 C Mexican crema

½ white onion, thinly sliced into rings

1 C queso fresco, crumbled

Season the chicken with Adobo. Place chicken, onion, garlic in saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, remove the skin, pull the meat from the bones and shred. There should be 4 cups of chicken. Mix with crema. Save broth for another use.

Put chilés in saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In batches, puree chilés, tomatillos, garlic, onion and cilantro in blender until smooth.

In a skillet, on medium-high, heat a tablespoon of oil until it begins to smoke. Quickly add tomatillo sauce and cook, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to bubble, lower heat and cook for 5 minutes until noticeably darker and thicker. Season the sauce with Adobo. There should be about 3 cups of sauce. If needed, stir in some chicken broth. Tomatillo sauce can be made in advance, and kept covered in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 350° F.

In another small frying pan, on medium-high, heat 1/3 cup oil until hot, but not smoking. Using slotted spatula or tongs, quickly pass each tortilla through oil on both sides and drain on absorbent paper in single layer.

Using your fingers, briefly dip each tortilla in the tomatillo sauce, until each side is coated. Place on plate, spread on large spoonful of filling and roll it up. Place in baking dish and repeat process for each enchilada. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, cover with foil and heat in oven for 10 minutes, or until enchiladas are heated through. Top with crema, onions rings and crumbled cheese. Serve immediately.