A snowstorm is getting ready to roll into town today with some freezing rain and a ton of snow so it is the perfect time to warm us all up! I am going to hand you over to friends Brian (and his wife Deb) for something you don’t want to miss and will love as much as we do!
Sheri
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It’s winter which means COMFORT FOOD! While many people think of pot roast or mac & cheese I think ENCHILADAS! What a great combination of Mexican flavors. Rich and cheesy with the wonderful taste of corn. Makes my mouth water just writing about them!
This recipe is one of my favorites and I found it in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It’s not easy as it takes time and patience. But you can make it ahead of time and put it in the oven when ready to eat or after friends arrive.
These enchiladas start with great, fresh ingredients. Onion, celery and bell pepper give the ranchero sauce and meat filling just a bit of crunch and lots of flavor. The sauce simmers for 30 minutes or so and fills the kitchen with all the aromas of your favorite Mexican restaurant. Both are spiced with a Tex-Mex seasoning blend you make yourself with garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt and pepper.
One of the unique things about enchiladas is the tortillas are dipped in sauce before filling. The name “enchilada” comes from the Spanish word “enchilar” which means “to add chile pepper to,” which in this case means dipping them in the ranchero sauce. This is perhaps the trickiest part of the recipe. You first dip the corn tortillas individually in hot vegetable oil for just a few seconds. They wilt almost immediately and you put them on paper towels to drain. After the tortillas have cooled enough to handle you dip them in the ranchero sauce before filling with meat and cheese. This requires you to get “hands on” with the enchiladas and works better if you have a “kitchen assistant” to spoon the meat and cheese in before rolling. But all of this work is definitely worth it. As a friend of mine told me years ago “the harder something is to make in the kitchen the better it tastes!”
After rolling the enchiladas and placing them in a casserole pan (seam side down) you top with the remaining sauce and meat and then cover with shredded cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes. If you are entertaining I highly recommend doing all of the leg work up to baking BEFORE your guests arrive. In one case (before I was an enchilada “expert”) I tried making this for friends while we were all gathered in the kitchen and had some difficulty keeping the hot enchiladas in one piece. As a result they turned into a layered enchilada casserole instead. While it tasted good it just wasn’t the same. If you have refrigerated the enchiladas prior to baking let them get to room temperature before putting in the oven and bake a little longer (30 vs. 20 minutes).
I also recommend a nice garnish on the plate and always make Mexican rice and black beans as side dishes. A little chopped lettuce, tomato and avocado and a dollop of sour cream garnished with a lime wedge make for a wonderful presentation. But no matter how good they look I think you will agree they taste even better!
The black beans are an easy and quick side dish. Chop a little onion and garlic and sautee in oil until soft and fragrant. Add drained can of black beans and let them sautee 2-3 minutes. Add a little chicken stock, salsa, cumin and chopped fresh cilantro and simmer until the liquid mostly cooks off. Do not overcook as the sauce will get a bit pasty. If it does just add a little more stock until they reach your desired consistency.
I hope you take the time to try these delicious enchiladas. They are worth the effort! It’s great for entertaining and your guests will think you took a cooking class in Mexico!
Recipe courtesy of St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Blog & Photos – Brian Hill (Guest Blogger)
6 servings
For ranchero sauce: For meat filling:
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper
½ cup chopped white or yellow onion ¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped white onion
¼ cup chopped bell pepper 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon Tex-Mex Spice*
1 tablespoon Tex-Mex Spice* (see below) 1 pound lean ground beef
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth To assemble enchiladas:
½ of an 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 cup vegetable oil
½ of a 14-1/2 oz. can whole tomatoes 12 corn tortillas
Water, if needed 2 – 3 cups shredded cheese of your choice
Sour cream, for garnish
Step 1: Prepare sauce. Heat oil over medium heat in a 1-quart saucepan or 10-inch cast iron skiller. Add onion, celery and bell pepper. Reduce heat and cook just until onion is translucent. Do not let vegetables brown. Add Tex-Mex Spice and flour, mixing well. Cook until flour begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Step 2: Add chicken broth, tomato sauce and tomatoes. With a flat spatula scrape bottom of pan and break up tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer gently for 25-30 minutes. If necessary add 2 cups water to make 2 cups sauce.
Step 3: While sauce simmers prepare meat filling. In a cold skillet stir together bell pepper, celery, onion and Tex-Mex Spice. Spread uncooked meat on top. Turn heat to medium. When the mixture starts to simmer break up meat. Simmer on low for 20 minutes. Drain off any grease.
Step 4: Assemble the enchiladas. Heat 1 cup oil over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. Dip tortillas in oil, one at a time, until limp (a few seconds). Place on paper towels and drain.
Step 5: After all tortillas have been dipped in oil and drained, dip each one into the warm ranchero sauce. Stack the tortillas on a cutting board or cookie sheet.
Step 6: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble enchiladas fill each tortilla with 2-4 tablespoons of meat mixture and 2-3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll up and place side by side, seam down, in a 9X13 inch baking dish.
Step 7: Evenly pour or ladle remaining sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with any remaining meat and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot with dollops of sour cream and garnish.
NOTE: Tex-Mex Spice – combine 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
Enjoy!
Brian
(Guest Blogger and friend of Tom and Sheri)
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