Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas


I make a couple different kinds of enchiladas, one is white sauce based that is very good, but the one I made last night (ok - I lied - I found it in the freezer!) is a red sauce. This one is also very good just done with cheese and no chicken. Every recipe that uses dried chiles lists different types to use. I have a great woman at the farmer's market here that sells all different varieties fresh and dried and I usually take a list of ones that I have in my cupboard that I bought from her and ask her if they work or what substitutes I need to make from the suggested list on the recipe. These below happened to be the ones I used this time, but you never know, I think you just need to get some smokey, with some heat and mix it up. Adapted from Food and Wine.

Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas serves 8

For the sauce
dried chiles - 1 chipotle, 3 ancho, 1 mulato and 1 small costeno
1 cup boiling hot water
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 -3 cups tomato sauce (if your sauce is homemade, it will be not as thick, if it's canned then use 2 1/2 cups and add a 1/2 cup water)
s&p

Remove stems and seeds from the chiles and cover in a bowl with the water and let sit about 10 min. or until they are softer. Put the chiles and water in a blender along with onion, garlic and spices and puree. In a large pan heat olive oil and carefully add the tomato sauce and then strain the chili puree to remove the skin and add to the pan. Cook until reduced slightly about 20 min. Taste and season with s&p

Filling

couple tablespoons olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a store bought roasted one)
3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas

Saute the onion in the oil about 10 min then add the broth and cook until it's evaporated. Remove to a large bowl and mix together with the chicken and about 2 cups cheese. Lightly fry the tortillas in the same pan until soft and then remove to paper towels. Pour a little sauce in the baking pan and then fill each tortilla with the mixture and roll up and place seam side down into the pan close together. Top with the rest of the sauce and then sprinkle with the other cup of cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min. Remove foil and cook another 10-15 min until bubbly and hot. Serve with sour cream and guacamole. Freezes well ; )


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