Enchilada Recipe

Well the other night someone broke into the Original Taco House on Powell and stole the freestanding ATM.  I have just one thing to say: Not Cool, guys, not cool. 

Besides, have you any idea how hard it is to break open one of those things? Not a taco house, and ATM? Not that I have ever...seriously! Why doesn't anyone ever believe I am innocent? 

I first made this because the ingredients were what I had in the cupboard and the fridge. Since then I have perfected it. Or at least I think I have  perfected it. This is one of the few recipes that really just worked with meat. I tried a vegetarian version and it was not quite right. Then I tried using Quorn Beef Style Grounds™ and it was awesome. So awesome my roommate (who is not a fan of Mexican style food anyway) didn’t get any because I ate it all. Oy, I am such a slob.

Ingredients:

1 Pound of ground beef

2 Tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil

1Onions finely chopped

1 Package of taco Seasoning

1 Can of diced tomatoes 14.5oz

½ Cup of  Monterrey Jack or mozzarella cheese grated

½ Cup of mild or medium cheddar grated

6 Large corn tortillas (many are gluten free, some are not, check the label!)

1 Recipe of enchilada sauce (recipe below)

Sliced olives, sour cream, guacamole, parsley and oregano to garnish, all optional

How you do this thing?

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the beef in the oil with the onion over medium heat stirring constantly and breaking up to make sure that no big lumps form. When it is starting to brown and there is no pink left (about 6-7 minutes) add the taco seasoning and stir well to coat the beef, add the tomatoes bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer covered for about 10 minutes till thick. To assemble pour about a quarter of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a rectangular casserole. Use a spatula to spread till it covers the bottom in a thin layer. Heat up a dry skillet, add the corn tortillas one at a time cook for 30 seconds on one side only, just to soften. Remove tortilla from skillet, place on work surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons of beef mixture in the bottom third of the tortilla in a sausage shape. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla just over the mixture, then fold in the sides slightly, and roll up like a burrito. Hmm not a very good description.  Just fold it and roll it like you would if you were making a burrito. Never made a burrito? Go to Taco Hell, buy a bean burrito and dissect it (OK, I work at medical university, you pick things up.).

Place tortillas in even rows in casserole. Pour remaining sauce over the top making sure that each tortilla is fairly drenched. Sprinkle over the cheese and bake for 30 minutes till bubbly. If desired garnish with chopped olives, dollops of sour cream and canned sliced jalapenos. For the picture version I just used chopped flat leaf parsley. I was trying not to hide the cheesy goodness. 


This should serve six peeps, however if you are like me you might eat the whole darn thing, as I have several times.

Enchilada Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of chili powder

1 Tablespoon of cumin

2 Cups of water

2 8 oz  Cans of tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon of tomato paste

1/8 Teaspoon of sugar

1 Teaspoon of onion powder

½ Teaspoon of salt

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold water

Hot sauce to taste

How you do this thing? I tell you now:

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and cook one minute, add the chili powder and cumin and cook stirring for two  minutes. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste, stir well. Pour in the water, sugar, onion powder and salt. Cover and cook over medium low heat for ten minutes stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the cornstarch mixture. Using a wire whisk stir until it thickens slightly; it should stay fairly liquid not super thick. Remove from heat and use in enchilada recipe or as a sauce for meatballs served over rice.