Enchiladas with mole sauce - house beautiful

6 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
3Plum tomatoes, preferably Roma
3To 5 pasilla chilies
2tablespoonsPeanut oil
1Bay leaf, roughly chopped
2smallsOnions, roughly chopped
2To 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1Red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1teaspoonChili powder, preferably Santa Fe
2cupsMonterey Jack or Muenster cheese, grated
1tablespoonFresh oregano or cilantro, roughly chopped
4tablespoonsItalian parsley, roughly chopped
4tablespoonsScallions, roughly chopped
¼cupPeanut oil
12Corn tortillas
1Recipe mole enchilada sauce, warmed
1Recipe filling
1tablespoonRice wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2To 3 sprigs fresh oregano or cilantro
teaspoonSalt
1tablespoonMexican chocolate, available at Hispanic markets & specialty food stores
1teaspoonFreshly ground black pepper
Water or canned chicken stock
1Jalapeno chili, seeded & roughly chopped (wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers)
1cupRed cabbage, finely shredded
Salt to taste
½cupSour cream mixed with
2tablespoonsHalf-and-half
Whole sprigs offresh oregano or cilantro

Directions

FOR MOLE SAUCE

FOR FILLING

FOR ASSEMBLING THE ENCHILADA

Prepare mole sauce: Line a broiling pan with aluminum foil and broil tomatoes under a preheated broiler for 2 to 3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Chop tomatoes and set aside.

Preheat a dry heavy skillet over medium heat until it is hot and toast pasilla chilies, stirring constantly for 1 or 2 minutes or until they are fragrant. Do not let chilies burn. Transfer chilies to a work surface and set aside to cool. Wearing rubber gloves, discard the stems, seeds, and ribs from the chilies and tear them into small pieces. Place chilies in a bowl, cover with 4 C of hot water and set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the peanut oil over moderate heat until it is hot and saute bay leaf, onions, garlic, red pepper, reserved roasted tomatoes, and chili powder, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add reserved chilies and liquid to the pan. Add rice vinegar, orange zest and juice, oregano, salt, chocolate, and black pepper to pan and simmer mixture 20 minutes or until chilies are soft. Cool.

In a blender or food processor, blend sauce until smooth. If necessary, add water or chicken stock to achieve the consistency of a smooth purse. Season to taste. Makes about 1½ C sauce.

Prepare filling: In a bowl mix together cheese, oregano or cilantro, parsley, scallions, jalapeno chili, red cabbage, and salt, Set aside.

Makes about 4 C filling.

Prepare enchiladas: In a medium-size heavy skillet, heat peanut oil to just below the smoking point; tortilla should sizzle when it touches the hot oil.

Lightly cover both sides of tortilla with mole sauce. Using tongs, place tortilla in the hot skillet and heat each side 2 to 3 seconds or until it is soft. Lay tortilla on a work surface and place 2 to 3 T ofthe cheese filling across the center, roll the tortilla away from you so that the filling is enclosed in the tortilla, place on a small oven-proofplate and set aside. Repeat process. Bake tortillas in a preheated 350'F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove plates from oven and top each tortilla with 1 T mole sauce. Drizzle with sour cream mixture and garnish plate with oregano or cuantro. Serve immediately.

Serves 12 as a first course or 6 as a main course.

House Beautiful/June/94 Scanned & fixed by Di & Gary