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TEXMEX-ENCHIL - Central Texas style Mexican enchiladas
We cook beef enchiladas in two ways-the traditional rolled
enchilada and the easier-to-cook New Mexico stacked style.
Both procedures are given. Also, we used to cook the enchi-
lada sauce/chili from scratch but more recently began using
a shortcut with canned Old El Paso brand enchilada sauce,
since it is not only faster (20 minutes vs. 4+ hours) but
also has a very authentic spice combination.
1 kg extra lean ground beef (as little fat as possible)
2 medium onions, chopped
25 g flour
600 ml enchilada sauce (2 standard cans)
500 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
(1) Brown ground beef and 1 chopped onion in a large
skillet. There should be enough fat in the beef
to eliminate any need for extra oil and also to
saut e the onions at the same time. While you are
browning the beef (it should be completely cooked
with no pink or red color left), be sure to break
it up so that it is granular in texture, as
opposed to chunky, when completely browned.
Onions should be limp and translucent but not
brown.
(2) Add about 4 Tbsp of flour and saute until flour is
completely incorporated into the meat mixture.
(3) Add the enchilada sauce. Heat over low heat. If
the mixture is too thick, add a little water. The
consistency should be that of a thick gravy, but
not soupy. Simmer over low heat for 20 -30
minutes.
(1) Rolled enchiladas are tougher to assemble, but
more authentic. Have ready a large baking pan-we
always use an oblong Pyrex pan.
(2) One at a time, dip each tortilla in the enchilada
sauce just enough to coat and slightly soften.
(3) Lay the tortilla flat in the baking pan, spoon
about 50 ml of the enchilada sauce in a line down
the middle, top with about 5 ml chopped onion and
about 50 ml of grated cheese.
(4) Roll the tortilla tightly into a cylinder with the
seam on the bottom, and position against the bot-
tom edge of the baking pan. Repeat until the pan
is full. This can get tricky (but it is possible)
as the pan gets full. Assembling the enchilada
outside of the pan is usually a messy disaster.
Depending on the size of the pan and how tightly
each enchilada is rolled, you can get 8-12 enchi-
ladas in a pan. This recipe should make about 16-
24 enchiladas.
(5) Spoon enchilada sauce over the assembled enchila-
das to thinly cover. Sprinkle generously with
grated cheese. Bake at 220 deg. C for 20 minutes.
(1) This is the New Mexico style. It is much easier to
assemble. Have plates ready. One at a time, sub-
merge each tortilla in the enchilada sauce (which
should be cooking on low heat during this process)
and cook until limp but not falling apart-this may
take a little practice to gauge the time.
(2) Remove the tortilla from the sauce and place flat
on a plate. Spoon a little sauce, including meat,
over the tortilla, add 15 ml chopped onion and
about 50 ml grated cheese.
(3) Repeat the process untill you have a stack of 3- 4
tortillas on a plate, depending on the appetite of
the person who will eat them. Top the last tor-
tilla with a generous amount of sauce and cheese.
Serve immediately.
The fundamental difference between these two styles is the
method used to cook the tortillas. In the rolled style, the
sauce is cooked into the tortilla through the baking pro-
cess. In the stacked style, the tortilla is cooked directly
in the sauce. Only the appearance differs-the taste is the
same with either style.
I always use Old El Paso canned enchilada sauce, though it
is possible to make your own.
Difficulty: moderate. Time: 1 hour. Precision: approximate
measurement OK.
Pamela McGarvey
UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
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| Last modified: 9 May 2006 | 41 hits in May 2012 |
