My friend in Denver can't eat dairy products right now because they bother her three-month-old nursling, and she was longing for enchiladas. I suggested she Google the type of filling called "picadillo" — I thought my own recipe did contain cheese, but it struck me as a kind of filling that would be good with or without it.
I just now checked the recipe, which was published in Sheila Lukins All Around The World Cookbook (Workman Publishing, 1994). It does call for a topping of grated Monterey Jack cheese, but I think you could leave it off and be just fine. For 16 enchiladas, the filling contains 1/2 cup each diced red onion and red bell pepper, sauteed in olive oil and then combined with 6 seeded, diced plum tomatoes; 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives; 1/2 cup golden raisins; 1/4 cup chopped almonds; 2 tablespoons drained tiny capers; 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. That mixture is cooked another couple of minutes and then mixed with 3 cups chicken and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus salt and pepper. It's stuffed into flour tortillas and baked with a plain (not chili-powder-flavored) tomato sauce, or even with a marinara sauce. As I said, the suggestion is to top it with Monterey Jack, but I bet it'd be fine without. If you wanted something crispy on top, I wonder if bread crumbs or even crushed corn chips would work.
By coincidence, my other friend, not in Denver, put up this sweet potato enchilada recipe a few days ago. I think it would also be very nice without cheese, don't you?
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