The colloquial translation of
chilaquiles is “broken-up old sombrero,” but you could think of it as a
savory Mexican version of French toast—created to use up leftover bread. In this case the recipe uses up stale corn tortillas, which are ripped into small pieces and mixed with other ingredients. Although
chilaquiles is served all over Mexico, the dish is particularly popular in the central regions, in states such as México and Puebla. Every Mexican cook has his or her own version, which generally consists of tortillas, sauce, shredded meat, and cheese. We’ve fried the tortilla strips to keep them crisp, but if you have access to really good tortillas, you could simply air-dry the strips. In the spirit of the dish, and the season, we decided to use turkey in our recipes because it makes a great finale for the holiday bird. Add a green salad and some Mexican beer, and you’ve got a meal that doesn’t seem remotely like leftovers.
