MY EX IS ENGAGED ENCHILADAS

GLM

My ex didn’t take very long to fall in love after we broke up. In fact, I’m pretty sure he was halfway to the altar with his now-wife when we were still dating. It was one of those relationships that, in retrospect, was so stupid to dive into (oh hey there, bitter divorce and substantial age difference!), but the inimitable trifecta of attraction, oxytocin, and unresolved authority issues drove me straight into his arms before I could reconsider.

When I learned he had gotten engaged to someone new just a few months after he had abruptly stopped returning my phone calls (I’d call it ghosting but this was, like, 2011 and such lingo didn’t yet exist), I was hurt and angry. When I did the math and discovered he’d been seeing us both at the same time (thanks, Facebook photo time-stamping!), I was the most livid I’d been in my entire life, and it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. My cheeks felt hot and my heart pounded. No chamomile tea or Xanax could soothe me; no call to my therapist or mom or best friend could ease my pain. I was a woman scorned.

For weeks, I lived in a bubble of my own fury, alternately crying and going for “hate runs,” which were more stomping than they were jogging (but still great cardio!). Finally my best friend took pity on me and insisted I join her family at a cabin in Lake Tahoe for the weekend. I loaded up my car and set off on the long drive to the mountains by myself. “Alone again, as usual,” I seethed.

The drive was rough. Lots of traffic, and heavy snow as I got higher and higher up. The universe was actually spitting in my face. Somewhere around Nevada City, my car needed gas and I needed to eat. I filled up the tank and pulled into a tiny Tex-Mex diner for a quick bite.

I ordered the vegetarian green chili enchiladas, sipped the weak, tepid coffee that had been poured for me before I had a chance to ask for it, and waited for what I expected would be a couple of corn tortillas filled with greasy cheese and oversalted sauce. Whatever, I thought. It’ll get me through the rest of the drive.

When the waitress returned a few minutes later with my order, I was shocked and delighted by the plate in front of me: delicate corn tortillas folded around tender greens, perfectly seasoned potatoes, a very lightly spicy green chili sauce, and just enough cheese to bind everything together. I took a bite, closed my eyes, and savored the deliciousness. For the first time, my broken heart wasn’t the only thing on my mind.

SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium russet potato, scrubbed and diced

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced

1 large bunch kale or Swiss chard, destemmed and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

12 corn tortillas

2 (16-ounce) cans green enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded jack or cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.

• Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

• Place the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and kale or chard in a large pot with enough water to cover over high heat. Cover with a fitted lid and bring to a boil.

• Once the water boils, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until both kinds of potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes.

• Remove from heat, drain, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.

• Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds or so to soften them.

• Pour the enchilada sauce into a mixing bowl or baking dish.

• Dip a tortilla into the sauce and pull it out, shaking off excess sauce.

• Lay the tortilla on a flat surface. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of potato-kale filling and a generous sprinkle of cheese in the center of the tortilla and roll it up.

• Place the rolled-up tortilla seam-side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, sauce, filling, and cheese. Reserve about ½ cup cheese for the top.

• Pour the remaining sauce over all the rolled tortillas in the pan.

• Top with the reserved cheese.

• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.

• Serve hot.