ENCHILADA SAUCE

 

2 ounces dried guajillo chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 ounces dried New Mexico chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
vinegar or lime juice, optional




Working in two batches, toast the chiles in a Dutch oven over medium high heat for just a minute or so, tossing constantly. You want them to start to darken, but not burn.

Add 8 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let boil gently for about 15 minutes.

Remove the chiles to a blender and add 5 cups of the cooking water. Let the mixture cool for a while and then blend until smooth. 

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the spices. Sauté for a minute or two to bloom the flavors, stirring constantly.

Pour the blended sauce into the saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it thickens and the flavors meld together.

Use the enchilada sauce immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days

Red Enchilada Sauce

PREP: 5 MINS 

COOK: 15 MINS 

TOTAL: 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne! also, see note below if you do not like heat*)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red enchilada sauce 
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut 1/2-inch-dice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 medium low-carb whole wheat flour tortillas (I used La Tortilla Factory)
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions, for garnish
• reduced-fat sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:
  
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add cubed butternut, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water,  cilantro, cumin and chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

1 can fire roasted dices green chilies, drained

1 3 oz. package cream cheese

1 T milk

1/4 t ground cumin

12 corn tortillas

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1 can La Perefedera mild red enchilada sauce

1 can black beans

In a medium bowl stir together cream cheese, the 1 tablespoon milk, 1 T of the diced green chilies, and the cumin; add chicken. Stir until combined.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla near an edge; roll up. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Place filled tortillas, seam side down, in a greased 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

Mix the remaining diced green chilies with the red enchilada sauce and black beans and pour over the tortillas.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remainder of the shredded cheese. Bake about 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Buffalo Chicken Enchilladas

9 tortillas
3 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup red enchilada sauce
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
1 cup 2% Mexican blend cheese, shredded
3 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour enchilada sauce in a bowl and begin by whisking in 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce. Set aside.

Add shredded chicken to a bowl with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Pour in about a 1/2 cup of enchilada/buffalo sauce mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir until mixture comes together.

Pour a drizzle of enchilada/buffalo sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Take each tortilla and fill it with a few heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Roll each up and set it in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour another 1/2 cup or more of enchilada/buffalo sauce on top of tortillas and add remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Immediately after taking enchiladas out of the oven, add crumbled gorgonzola on top. Garnish with the green onions and cilantro and serve. Yield: 9 enchiladas.

Rick Bayless Pork Tinga

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 pound lean, boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from its casing
4 to 5 medium (about 3/4 pound total) red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4–inch thick
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles, en adobo, finely chopped
4 teaspoons chipotle canning sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
Salt
About 1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like salted pressed farmers cheese
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and diced
Warm corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a stovetop-rated slow cooker liner over medium-high heat. (If your slow cooker liner isn’t made from a material that can be used on a stovetop, use a very large (12-inch) non-stick skillet.) Once the oil is very hot, add the pork and chorizo in an single layer and cook, stirring until the meat has browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and if you’re using a skillet, transfer the meat and its juices into the slow cooker. Add the potatoes.

In a large bowl, combine the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, Worcestershire, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 6 hours at the highest temperature.

After six hours, gently stir the tinga. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water. Taste, and season with salt if you think the dish needs it. Scoop into a large bowl, sprinkle with the fresh cheese and diced avocado, and serve with warm tortillas.