Turkey Club Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

For the Skillet Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound cooked roast turkey breast
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 to 1/3 pound center-cut smoky bacon or Apple wood bacon (such as Oscar’s Hickory House Warrensburg)
2 medium or 1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 jalapeño or Fresno peppers (seeded for a milder filling), chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin, scant palmful
Black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Salt
16 corn tortillas or 12 6-inch flour tortillas
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese or a combo of Monterey and Pepper Jack
1 4-ounce tin diced green chilies, well drained
Garnishes: chopped or shredded iceberg lettuce or Romaine hearts; diced avocado dressed with lime juice; seeded, diced tomatoes; chopped red onion or scallions; crème fraiche, Mexican crema or sour cream, for dolloping.

Yields: 6

Preparation

For the gravy*, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt. Add flour and cook for about a minute or so. Whisk in stock and allow it to thicken until reduced to one cup.

* Use about a cup of leftover gravy instead of this skillet gravy if you have it!

Coarsely chop the turkey meat and pulse process in a food processor into fine chop.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with EVOO, a couple turns of the pan. Add bacon and render until crispy. Add onions, garlic and peppers, and season with cumin and black pepper. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add turkey and cilantro or parsley, lime juice, tomatoes and gravy. Warm through and season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.

Char tortilla and blister in hot dry skillet or over open flame on gas burner, 30-40 seconds per side.

In a saucepot over medium heat, melt butter then whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute; whisk in milk. Season with salt and pepper, and thicken to coat a spoon. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese and melt then stir in green chilies.

Fill tortillas with turkey and bacon mixture and arrange in large baking dish, pour cheese sauce evenly over the enchiladas then top with remaining cheese and cool, store.

To bake enchiladas, bring to room temperature and preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the enchiladas until brown and bubbly, 40 minutes. If from fridge, 20-25 minutes if still warm from initial preparation.

Top enchiladas with any or all toppings and serve.