Corn & Cheddar Enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove and discard the corn husks and silks. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs; discard the cobs. Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Halve the lime crosswise. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Cut out and discard the stems, ribs, and seeds of the sweet peppers; small dice. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the poblano pepper; small dice. Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling the pepper.

In a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork.

While the rice cooks, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the corn; cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the onion, ¾ of the garlic paste, and as much of the poblano pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the tomato paste; cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until dark red and fragrant. Add ¼ cup of water; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the pan of cooked vegetables, add the cooked rice, sour cream, half the cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime half. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the tortillas on a work surface. Evenly spread ½ cup of the filling into the bottom of a baking dish. Divide the remaining filling among the tortillas; tightly roll up each tortilla around the filling. Transfer to the baking dish in a single layer, seam side down. Evenly top with the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let stand at least 2 minutes.

While the enchiladas bake, in a medium bowl, combine the sweet peppers, remaining onion, the juice of the remaining lime half, and as much of the remaining garlic paste as you’d like; season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in the remaining cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Top the baked enchiladas with the salsa. Enjoy!