Stacked Beef Enchiladas With Ancho Chile Sauce Recipes

STACKED BEEF ENCHILADAS (AKA MEXICAN LASAGNA)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the baking soda. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Let sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the beef sits, prepare the sauce. Set an oven rack about 5 inches beneath the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula). Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9x13-in glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won't cook through.)
• Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas. Top with half of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.
• Note: Chipotle chili powder is smoky and hot and makes this dish a little spicy. For a milder dish, replace the chipotle chili powder with ancho chili powder, which isn't as hot.
• MAKE-AHEAD/FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS: The casserole can be prepared ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking). It can also be fully baked, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost if necessary and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, small portions can be zapped in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

THE BEST RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Arrange the ancho chiles on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 minutes; remove the stems, pulp, and seeds from the toasted peppers. Place peppers in a bowl and pour enough hot water into bowl to cover completely; allow to soak for 1 hour.
• Combine the ancho chiles, tomato paste, corn oil, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and about 1 cup of the beef broth in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a saucepan with the remaining beef broth and place over medium heat; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes.

STACKED ENCHILADA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute pepper in oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer or until pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in the chicken, beans and onions; heat through. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. , In the same skillet, combine enchilada and picante sauces. Coat both sides of one tortilla with sauce mixture; place in a greased 9-in. pie plate. Top with a third of the chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining tortilla, sauce and cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until heated through. Remove to a serving plate and cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and lettuce if desired.

STACKED BEEF ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• 1. Trim the meat of fat or gristle. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large pot. Brown the meat in batches, and remove to a bowl until all pieces are browned. Return the meat to the pan, and add the garlic, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Remove pan from the heat and cool the meat to lukewarm in the broth. Remove the meat and shred. Cover and reserve. Save the broth for the enchilada sauce. 2. Prepare the ancho chile sauce. Then, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and cook the onion, stirring, until it starts to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the diced green chiles, cumin, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the shredded meat. Add salt, if desired. Remove from the heat. 3. Preheat the oven to 350°.Grease a large 11- × 16- inch baking pan, with an edge, large enough to accommodate 4 tortillas laid out flat, so that they don't overlap. Heat oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a medium skillet, and soften the tortillas, 1 at a time, by passing through the hot oil, holding the edge with tongs, until limp, about 3 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Stack and cover to keep them soft and warm. 4. Ladle a thin film of the reserved enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place 4 tortillas side by side in the pan. Top each tortilla with about 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Place a second tortilla over the meat. Top with meat as before and place a third tortilla over the meat. Cover each stack completely with chile sauce. Sprinkle the tops of each stack with 1/3 of the grated cheese, 1/3 of the chopped onion, and 1/3 of the sliced olives. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into wedges. Dollop each serving with crema or sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

GREEN CHILE STACKED ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Run 1 tortilla through the hot oil until softened, 2 to 3 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Layer a dry tortilla on top of the cooked tortilla on the plate. Cook another tortilla in the hot oil and stack on the dry tortilla. Repeat process until all the tortillas are used.
• Cook and stir chicken and onion in the same skillet, adding more oil if needed, until chicken is 2/3 done, about 10 minutes. Add green chiles; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center and onions are tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Layer tortillas in a 9x13-inch baking dish; top with chicken mixture, enchilada sauce, Monterey Jack cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used, ending with sauce and cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool until set, 5 to 10 minutes.

WEST TEXAS STACKED ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• 1. In a dry skillet heated on high, toast the ancho chiles on each side for about 10 seconds or just until they start to puff. Fill the skillet with enough water to cover chiles. Leave the heat on until water begins to boil and then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Once hydrated, discard the soaking water and rinse the chiles.
• 2. Put ancho chiles, chipotle chiles, garlic, half of the diced onions, cumin, oregano, allspice, and chicken broth in a blender and puree. It should be thick and smooth.
• 3. In a pot, heat 1 tablespoon of lard or oil on low heat and then whisk in the flour. Pour in the sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and adjust other seasonings as needed.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking dish.
• 5. In a skillet, heat on medium 1 tablespoon of lard or oil. Cook each tortilla for about 30 seconds on each side (or until soft). Keep warm in a towel or a warmer.
• 6. To assemble the enchiladas, take a tortilla and place it in the baking dish. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the sauce on each tortilla and then add 1/4 cup of the grated cheeses, mixed, and 1 teaspoon of onions. Add another tortilla, and add same amount of sauce, cheese, and onions. Add a third tortilla, and again top with sauce, cheese, and onions. Repeat until you have four stacks.
• 7. Bake enchiladas in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. While enchiladas are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of lard or oil in the cast-iron skillet and then fry the eggs two at a time (or however many will fit). To serve, place an enchilada stack on a plate and top with a fried egg.