Tex-mex Style Enchiladas

Title: TEX-MEX STYLE ENCHILADAS

Categories: Meats, Tex-mex, Usenet

Yield: 6 servings

2 lb Ground beef,

-extra-lean (as

-little fat as possible)

2 md Onions, chopped

4 tb Flour

2 1/2 c Enchilada sauce

-(2 standard cans)

1 lb Cheddar cheese,

-sharp, grated

PREPARE SAUCE AND FILLING: Brown ground beef and 1

chopped onion in a large skillet. There should be

enough fat in the beef to eliminate any need for extra

oil and also to saute the onions at the same time.

While you are browning the beef (it should be

completely cooked with no pink or red color left), be

sure to break it up so that it is granular in texture,

as opposed to chunky, when completely browned. Onions

should be limp and translucent but not brown.

Add about 4 T of flour and saute until flour is

completely incorporated into the meat mixture. Add the

enchilada sauce. Heat over low heat. If the mixture is

too thick, add a little water. The consistency should

be that of a thick gravy, but not soupy. Simmer over

low heat for 20-30 minutes.

PREPARE ROLLED ENCHILADAS: Rolled enchiladas are

tougher to assemble, but more authentic. Have ready a

large baking pan, we always use an oblong Pyrex pan.

One at a time, dip each tortilla in the enchilada

sauce just enough to coat and slightly soften. Lay the

tortilla flat in the baking pan, spoon about 3 T of

the enchilada sauce in a line down the middle, top

1 t chopped onion and about 3 T of grated

cheese.

Roll the tortilla tightly into a cylinder with the

seam on the bottom, and position against the bottom

edge of the baking pan. Repeat until the pan is full.

This can get tricky (but it is possible) as the pan

gets full. Assembling the enchilada outside of the pan

is usually a messy disaster. Depending on the size of

the pan and how tightly each enchilada is rolled, you

can get 8-12 enchiladas in a pan. This recipe should

make about 16-24 enchiladas.

Spoon enchilada sauce over the assembled enchiladas to

thinly cover. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

425 degrees F. for 20 minutes.

PREPARE STACKED ENCHILADAS: This is the New Mexico

style. It is much easier to assemble. Have plates

ready. One at a time, submerge each tortilla in the

enchilada sauce (which should be cooking on low heat

during this process) and cook until limp but not

falling apart, this may take a little practice to

gauge the time.

Remove the tortilla from the sauce and place flat on a

plate. Spoon a little sauce, including meat, over the

1 T chopped onion and about grated cheese. Repeat the process until you have a

stack of 3-4 tortillas on a plate, depending on the

appetite of the person who will eat them. Top the last

tortilla with a generous amount of sauce and cheese.

Serve immediately.

The fundamental difference between these two styles is

the method used to cook the tortillas. In the rolled

style, the sauce is cooked into the tortilla through

the baking process. In the stacked style, the tortilla

is cooked directly in the sauce. Only the appearance

differs, the taste is the same with either style.

NOTES:

Central Texas style Mexican enchiladas -- We cook

beef enchiladas in two ways, the traditional rolled

enchilada and the easier-to-cook New Mexico stacked

style. Both procedures are given. Also, we used to

cook the enchilada sauce/chili from scratch but more

recently began using a shortcut with canned Old El

Paso brand enchilada sauce, since it is not only

20 minutes vs.

authentic spice combination. Yield: Serves 6-8.

I always use Old El Paso canned enchilada sauce,

though it is possible to make your own.

: Difficulty: moderate.

: Time: 1 hour.

: Precision: approximate measurement OK.

: Pamela McGarvey

: UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program

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