New Mexico Enchiladas Recipes

ENCHILADAS - NEW MEXICO STYLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, and cook until browned. Season with cumin and chili powder. Pour in the enchilada sauce, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• In a separate skillet over medium heat, warm the tortillas. Don't fry them, just warm them until they are flexible.
• To assemble the enchiladas, dip a tortilla in the enchilada sauce, and place it on a serving plate. Spoon some of the meat and sauce on, then add shredded lettuce, cheese, onion and sour cream. Top with another tortilla that has been dipped in the sauce. You may repeat the layering as many times as you wish depending on your appetite. Make additional stacks for each person. Top stacks with a fried egg, if desired.

NEW MEXICO-STYLE RED CHILE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Oil a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Dip tortillas in the red chile sauce, to make pliable, and place 4 on the bottom of the dish.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup onions.
• Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
• Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with cheese.
• Bake at 350ºF.
• for 30 minutes, or until hot and the cheese is golden.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Snap the tops off of the dried chilies, and place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the water, and place chilies into a food processor or blender with the garlic and salt. Puree until smooth. Press sauce through a strainer, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Soak each tortilla in the sauce, then place in the hot oil. Turn over almost immediately, and fry for about 5 seconds on the other side. Remove to a plate that is lined with paper towels. The easiest way to do this is to fry the tortillas and stack them directly on top of each other until you have fried them all. This will keep the tortillas pliable until you are ready to fill them.
• Take one fried tortilla at a time, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of the queso fresco. Roll up, and place seam side down on a plate. Place three of these on each plate. Top in the following order: Start with a layer of sour cream, then a small handful of lettuce, three tomato slices, 2 more tablespoons of queso fresco, and finally, 1 tablespoon of green onions.

TRADITIONAL NEW MEXICO RED CHILE CHEESE "STACKED" ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Each serving will contain 3 corn tortillas. Take the tortilla and dip it in hot oil or dip it in the red chile sauce and put on plate. Top this with cheese and onion and more sauce and put another dipped tortilla on top and repeat this 2 times. Heat in the oven or under the broiler until cheese melts and top with a fried egg. Garnish the plate with the lettuce and tomato. You can serve this with fried potatoes or pinto beans.
• To make a casserole, you can layer the above in a baking dish with the final layer on top being cheese, do not put eggs on the casserole. Bake for about 20 minutes, until all is warm and melted. Garnish with lettuce and tomato. Can also serve with sour cream, chopped olives and guacamole.
• Remove the stems and seeds of the chile pods. Soak the pods in water or simmer on stove for about 10 minutes. Place chile and garlic in a blender with 1/4 cup water and puree until smooth. (Use 6 to 8 pods of chile and 2 cloves of garlic at a time, which will make the puree smoother and easier to work with.) Add more water as needed to get a medium consistency. In a sauce pan, add pureed chile with Mexican Oregano and salt to taste. Bring to a slow boil, and then simmer for 20 minutes. Pork can be browned and added to sauce while simmering.

NEW MEXICO-STYLE STACKED ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Place enchilada sauce in a small saucepan and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook tortillas, one at a time, until just starting to change color, but are still limp and pliable, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Pour all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet to a heat-proof bowl; discard when cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons oil in skillet off heat.
• Dip one tortilla in warm enchilada sauce, so that sauce lightly coats both sides. Place tortilla on an oven-safe plate or baking sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce over tortilla, then sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons cheese. Dip a second tortilla in warm enchilada sauce, so that sauce lightly coats both sides. Layer tortilla on top of first tortilla on plate or baking sheet. Spoon another 2 tablespoons sauce over tortilla, then sprinkle with another 3 tablespoons cheese. Repeat process with remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese so that you have 4 total enchilada stacks. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 7 to 9 minutes.
• While enchiladas are baking, heat reserved 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium. Add 2 eggs to oil in skillet; season with half of salt. Cook eggs until desired degree of doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for over-easy. Transfer to a plate once cooked; set aside. Repeat with remaining eggs and salt.
• When cheese is melted, remove enchiladas from oven. Top each stack with one egg and garnish evenly with cilantro, tomato, onion, and lettuce.

NEW MEXICAN STACKED ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Red Chile Sauce:.
• Heat 2 tablespoons shortening in medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for one minute (don't stop stirring).
• Add Chile powder and cook for an additional minute.
• Gradually add water and stir, making sure that no lumps form.
• Add seasonings to sauce and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Enchiladas:.
• 350 degree fahrenheit oven.
• Heat 1/2 inch of shortening in heavy pan at medium-high heat.
• Quickly dip each tortilla into the shortening to soften. Drain on absorbent towels.
• Assemble the enchiladas by placing 1/4 cup sauce (as base for each tortilla) in an oven-proof dish or plate, followed by a tortilla. Another 1/4 cup sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, and some onion. Repeat twice. Top with remaining sauce.
• Place in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
• Top with a fried egg and garnish with lettuce to serve.
• *To make your own Chile Powder: 16 dried New MexicoRed Chile pods, stems removed. Place 2-3 pods in a blender and finely grind them on low speed. Add more pods until the lower portion of the jar is full. Empty container and continue to process until all pods are ground. *Note: The more seeds you leave in the pods the hotter your chile power will be.