Tex-Mex enchiladas

Cube the chuck roast into one inch pieces, season generously with kosher salt, mix and let sit at room temperature about an hour.

Saute the chopped onion in two tablespoons of neutral oil in a high-walled saute pan or braiser until it takes a little colour.

Add the crushed garlic, bay leaves and oregano and cook about 30 seconds, then add beef stock to just barely cover the onions.

Nestle the beef on top, only partially submerged, add the black peppercorns and bring to a simmer.

Braise in a preheated 300F oven for two to four hours, turning the beef every 45 minutes so it browns evenly.

Once very tender, optionally cover and refrigerate overnight, which makes the beef easier to shred and the fat easier to lift off. Shred the beef.

Stem, seed and roughly chop the guajillo, ancho, pasilla and arbol chilies and toast them in a dry saute pan three to four minutes over medium heat until fragrant.

Add water to cover, plus the half white onion and three smashed garlic cloves.

Bring to a bare simmer, kill the heat, cover and steep 30 minutes.

Transfer to a blender with one cup of the steeping water and blend on high about one minute until completely smooth.

Heat three tablespoons of neutral oil in a high-walled saute pan until shimmering, whisk in three tablespoons of flour and cook the roux over medium high one to two minutes to golden brown.

Add the cumin and oregano, toast about 30 seconds, then stream in three and a half cups of chicken or beef stock a splash at a time, whisking until combined.

Whisk in the chili puree, bring to a simmer over medium high, drop to low and cook five to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Butterfly the chicken breasts, cutting across the centre and opening them like a book.

Bring five cups of water with garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and half a chopped onion to a simmer in a wide high-walled saute pan, then remove the lid, kill the heat and let it stand until it reads about 200F.

Drop in the breasts and steep about 15 minutes until the thickest point registers 160F.

Cool to room temperature or refrigerate overnight, then shred.

Put the halved jalapenos and poblanos, the tomatillos and two garlic cloves on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil five to 15 minutes to catch a light char.

Cool, then blend with the cilantro stems, a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper on high about a minute; keep it pourable but textured, do not overblend.

For the vegetarian filling, saute half an onion two to three minutes until softening and coloured, add the small zucchini and saute two to three minutes more, add the leftover broiled poblano, then cook everything together five to seven minutes until lightly caramelized.

Toast the corn tortillas directly over an open flame until charred and flexible, keeping them warm in a clean dish towel.

Spread half a cup of sauce over the bottom of the pan.

Dip a tortilla in the sauce to saturate every square inch, move it to a rolling surface, add filling, roll tightly and place seam side down in the pan; repeat until full.

Top with additional sauce and six to eight ounces of shredded cheese.

Bake at 375F covered in foil for 10 minutes, then uncovered five to 10 minutes more until bubbly and lightly browned.

Garnish with crumbled farmer's cheese or cotija, grated lime zest, a drizzle of crema and scattered cilantro.