Enchiladas Rojas and Guacamole
Here are two simple recipes (blender recommended, though not required) to kick start Taco Tuesday. Or any day of the week, for that matter.
The main event: Enchiladas Rojas. A rich and spicy tomato sauce blankets tortillas stuffed and rolled with any fillings you have on hand. For mine, I grilled and chopped up some chicken filets combined with sharp cheddar and a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce. I topped them with crumbled cojita, covered, and baked for 25 minutes at 350ºF.
The appetizer (or a snack to enjoy while you cook if you plan in advance): Guacamole. This is something I make different just about every time. What’s on hand usually determines what goes in. But tonight, I wrote down the most basic components of any great guac.
For the guacamole:
Makes 1-2 cups
3 avocados
½ cup diced red onion
¼ cup diced tomato
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from ½ a lime
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Handful of cilantro
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and blend (for smooth guacamole) or roughly mash with a fork (for chunky guacamole).
Tip: Allow the minced garlic to marinate in the lime juice 2-3 minutes before adding other ingredients to reduce some of the intensity of the raw flavor.
Cover tightly, plastic wrap pressed to surface, and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra red onion, tomato, a lime wedge, and cilantro.
Red sauce or green sauce? Tell me what’s best on Instagram, @andrewjvagner.
For the enchilada sauce:
Makes 3 cups
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
¼ yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
4 oz. can hot or mild green chiles
4 oz. tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
½ Tbsp. cumin
½ Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, until fragrant and becoming translucent. Add green chiles (hot or mild, depending on desired spiciness) and cook 1 minute more.
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, chicken stock, and all seasonings. Stir and bring to a near boil. Cut the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
Let the sauce cool 5-10 minutes off the heat and then pour into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Incorporate some of the sauce into enchilada filling, and pour the remainder on top and along the sides of the enchiladas before baking.
