The word enchilada means "imbued with chile" - the thing imbued with child being, of course, corn tortillas. Enchiladas may be rolled, stacked, baked like a casserole, or "built" directly on the plate; the tortillas may be fried in oil or just heated on a burner; enchiladas may have a savory, meaty filling or no filling but cheese; the cheese may be a traditional variety, such as Jack, or may be borrowed from another ethnic tradition, such as feta or fontina; the chile sauce may be red or green, creamy or lean, mild or hot.
This dish has been one of our most prized company dishes. It is elegant, rich, distinctive, and universally loved. Accompany with a big tossed green salad and a bowl of radishes chilled in ice water.
This recipe calls for frying the tortillas, an authentic New Mexico touch. A brief dip in boiling oil helps the tortillas retain their texture, and the end result is succulently rich. However, for a leaner dish, I often merely heat the tortillas in a hot, dry skillet until they take on appealing brown spots. Sometimes I brush them with a little oil first. If you use tortillas cold, they will disintegrate, and the enchiladas will emerge too puddingy.
Ingredients
Sauce
tsp vegetable oil or lard
medium yellow onion,diced
pinch salt
cloves garlic
tsp ground cumin
tsp dried oregano
can cream of chicken soup,(14 oz)
can fire-roasted green chiles,diced (or use 1 cup chopped, freshly roasted chiles)
black pepper,freshly ground
cups cooked chicken,well-seasoned and diced
cup safflower oil,or other light vegetable oil for frying
corn tortillas
cups Jack cheese,grated
1Make Sauce
After creating the sauce and prepping the tortillas we will throw them in the oven, so at some point during the process (or even at the start) you'll want to start warming up the oven to 375°F.
1.Warm the oil or lard in a medium-sized, heavy saucepan over a medium-high flame.
2.Add the onion and sauté with a pinch of salt for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mostly translucent.
3.Add the garlic, cumin, oregane and cook slowly without browning, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes.
4.Add the can of soup, 1/2 can of water, and the green chiles.
5.Heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a simmer.
6.Reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7.Stir in the black pepper (and the chicken, if you opt for it) and remove from the heat, but keep warm.
2Fry Tortillas
1.Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot over a medium-high flame until a bit of tortilla dropped in sizzles and bubbles fiercely.
2.Drop in a tortilla, using a slotted spoon or tongs to immerse it completely, and fry for about 10 seconds, or only until softened.
3.Lift the tortilla out of the oil and allow to drain over the pot for a few seconds.
4.Lay it on a thick bed of paper towels to drain further.
5.Continue with the remaining tortillas.
6.Blot the tortillas with more paper towels.
3Bake Enchiladas
1.Spread a ladleful of the sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13 inch baking dish.
2.Arrange a single layer of tortillas over the sauce, top with a little more sauce, then sprinkle lightly with cheese.
3.Repeat layers of sauce, tortillas, more sauce, and cheese until everything is used up.
4.Finish with a generous amount of sauce and cheese, with no tortilla exposed.
5.Bake until the cheese is melted and the top is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
6.Let rest for about 10 minutes, then cut into squares or wedges and serve.