Cooking Cheap

If you have some left over enchilada sauce, this is a dish that can impress a date.

Mix a bit of flour with salt, pepper and paprika. Lighly dust thin boneless pork chops in the seasoned flour. Cook the chops until done or almost done in a minimum amout of oil, set aside and keep warm. In the same pan heat up the left over enchilada sauce scaping up any pork bits. No need to simmer, an occasional bubble is just right. Add the pork chops and let them warm in the sauce for a few minutes. No need to turn or coat the chops.

Spoon some of the sauce on the serving plate, add a chop and some simple white rice on the side. (I’ve been known to put some sauce on top of the rice - muy bueno) Garnish with your favorite green stuff (Italian parsley, cilantro, green onion). This is a great dish for people who are hesitant about “Mexican Cooking” (assuming you haven’t used powerful chilies for the sauce).

Enchiladas in the Zillah Style

When traveling through the state of Washington I always stop at El Ranchito in Zillah, Here is a recipe inspired by the wonderful #2 combination plate. The base of this recipe is from the book “Mexican Cooking” from the California Culinary Academy. I suspect that using real lard is the key to this wonderful sauce. The recipe makes enough sauce for two batches of enchiladas. Be sure to wipe the counter and stove frequently, since chile will stain quickly. Although this is called a red enchilada sauce, its is actually chocolately in color. If you use dried California or New Mexico chilies it might be red, and around here New Mexicos can be quite hot. Use Ancho (pasilla) if you can get them because the taste is deeper and richer and since you’ll go through a fair amount of trouble to produce these enchiladas don’t skimp on the chilies.

I do make an enchilada sauce out of chili powers. Look for “Quick Enchiladas”
This is the “traditional” way.

• 7 or 8 dried Chilies
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves or less, to taste
• 3 tablespoon lard
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 2 14 oz cans Chicken Broth.
• 8 store bought tortillas
• 1/2 Large Onion, chopped
• 1/3 lb Grated Cheddar Cheese
• Oil for frying
• Baking dish for 8 enchiladas ( 9 x 12)

Find 8 dried chilies. I used 5 wrinkled “pasilla” as they are known in this part of the world (they are really ancho peppers). I added 2 gaujillos but but anchos or negros would be just fine. Toss is some chipotles if you like but since they are small so you’ll still need 6 to 7 big boys.

Toast the chilies one at a time on a hot griddle until just barely scorched. You’ll get a whiff of scent. Place chilies in a bowl of hot water and let stand for 30 minutes or more. Try to submerge them. Remove stems and seeds and tear into large pieces, Place in a food processor.

Toss out the soaking water. Lots of recipes say to use it. Don’t! Throw it away.

Toast the unpeeled on a griddle until black spots appear, Remove stem end and squeeze garlic into the food processor. Add salt, oregeno, cumin, and cloves. Process chilies and herbs into a smooth but thick paste. Add water or broth as needed. It is a pain in the behind, but you have to sieve the paste to remove the skins and missed seeds. You should have about a cup of paste.

Heat lard to melting (medium to medium low) in a deep skillet. Add flour to melted lard, stirring frequently until a light roux is formed. Add flour as needed depending on the amount of lard.Pour chile mixture into roux and let sizzle and pop a couple of minutes, stirring often. Wipe the counter because it will splatter.
It has to. Its important that the sauce be fried. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly until mixture is the proper thickness, gravy like. Cook for 5 minutes or so. Keep warm in the skillet (as low as it goes, you may have to add broth or water).

Chop the onion and grate the chese into a bowl and mix. Heat oil in a small skillet on medium high (but less than the smoke point). I get by with just 1/2″ of oil or less. Using tongs dip the torillas in the oil for a few seconds per side. Lift out of the oil and let the oil drain into the pan. Put tortilla into the sauce and coat bothe sides. Drain excess sauce into the sauce. Put tortilla on a plate. Repeat for half the remaining torillas (stack them on the same plate). If the oil temp is too low, they’ll fall apart by the time all 8 are stacked together.

Spread a little of the cheese and onion in the sauced tortilla and roll. Place seam side down in the backing dish. Repeat frying, dipping, filling and rolling until dish is full. Cover enchiladas with any remaining sauce. About one half of the sauce should be put in a container for another batch. (unless your making quick style in which case there isn’t a lot leftover). Add any remaining cheese/onion mixture and possibly more shredded cheese on the top.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes and Serve two per person, garnished with chopped radish and or green onion.