Enchiladas and Sauces

Basic Chili Powder Blend
16-ounce package dry California chili powder
16-ounce package dry New Mexico chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin powder, at least
2 teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons onion powder

Comments
Blend and tailor to your taste. I only want a hint of garlic.
You may use this chili powder blend to sprinkle and season ground beef for tacos with a little flour
and water, or use it to make great chili beans.

Enchilada Sauce
2 tablespoons flour, preferably unbleached
2 tablespoons chili powder blend
2 tablespoons oil, or pan drippings
2 cups low sodium chicken broth or water

Instructions
In a large fry pan over medium high heat, bring the oil to temperature and sprinkle the flour in immediately,
followed by the chili powder so that the flour browns more quickly than the chili. Do not allow it to scorch.

Sprinkle with a little salt, whisking briskly all the while for about a minute.
Quickly add the liquid and continue whisking as the mixture thickens; have some water handy to add if it gets too thick.
Simmer for a couple of minutes but do not boil. Then remove from the heat.
Allow enchilada sauce to cool if you will package and freeze.
Like spaghetti sauce, it is even better the next day when the flavors have melded.

If you ever cook fried chicken, save the drippings and cook a batch right in the same pan for a really delicious dish.
Be sure to match the equal amounts of drippings to flour to chili powder proportionally with water.
There’s no need for broth in that case because the flavor is so wonderful.

When I make red chili enchiladas, I use corn tortillas softened in hot oil and stuffed with sharp cheddar
and the white part of green onions, chopped.

When I make green enchiladas, I like using Las Palmas green chili sauce blended with low-sodium cream of chicken soup concentrate,
and flour tortillas stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and the sliced green part of green onions.
There’s no need to saute the tortillas in oil before simmering in the sauce; just soften them in the microwave
about 30 seconds in a white paper towel, four at a time.

You may use the entire green onions sliced for both enchilada recipes. Don’t forget to garnish with sliced black olives, or add them inside.
When preparing a pan of enchiladas, line the pan with foil and heat uncovered for no more than 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Enchiladas may be be frozen cooked or not, ready to heat and serve later.

My family never ever used sour cream with either. And we always folded, never rolled them,
because you would taste the tortilla more than the cheese, much like a tamale.

If we were to cook and serve immediately, we shredded some iceberg lettuce finely into the shredded cheese and onions.
Never use lettuce if freezing because it makes the enchiladas watery when thawing.

The sauce thickens even more as it stands, because the flour in it “blooms” just like gravy does.
I always have some extra sauce for those who like to top a little more.

I store my chili powder blend in a jar in the fridge.
The same with chili sauce for another day, unless I freeze it. Ziploc bags are good for storing sauce

Source: Recipe of Consuelo Macedo; sanluisobispo.com/The Cambrian; page 9 05/06/2020

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