Enchiladas & Encharitos

Quick Enchilada Sauce

                     4 Tb        Vegetable Oil

                 1-2 Tb        Flour

               1/4 cup        Chili Powder

                  2 cups        Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

                    10 oz        Tomato Paste

                     2 tsp        Dried Oregano

                     1 tsp        Ground Cumin

                   ½ tsp        cayenne

                                      Salt to taste

                        

In saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and cayenne, stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and slightly thick.  Season to taste

 

Cheese Enchiladas

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

        4-5 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                          ½      Onion, chopped (or ½ cup Dried Onions)

 

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Thoroughly mix the cheese and onions in a bowl.  Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a handful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

 

Encharitos

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

              1 pound      Ground Beef

                                    Salt & Pepper to taste

                   ½ tsp      Ground Cumin

                          ½      Onion, chopped

                    1 can      Refried Beans           

            1 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                             

Brown ground beef and onions over high heat.  Strain and discard grease.  Season with salt, pepper and cumin.  Add refried beans, mix and heat.  When mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a spoonful of beef-bean mixture and spoonful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

Thai Red or Green Curry Paste

This recipe was given to me by Chef Yui, while I was working at Shelly's Oyster Bar in Tustin, CA.  Thai Curry Pastes  are the fundamental bases for Thai curries, but they can also be used to flavor soups, rice, and pasta.  Red curry paste utilizes fresh red chilies, while green curry paste uses fresh green chilies. 

           1 Tb     coriander seeds

         2 tsp     cumin seeds

         2 tsp     dried shrimp paste

          1 tsp     black peppercorns

          1 tsp     ground nutmeg

              12     large red or green chilies

         1 cup     shallots, chopped

          2 Tb     oil

    4 stems     lemon grass, white parts only

  10 cloves     garlic, chopped

          4 Tb     fresh cilantro leaves, stems & roots, chopped

                6     kaffir lime leaves, chopped

         2 tsp     lime rind, grated

         2 tsp     salt

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes, then grind finely.  Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and cook under a hot grill, turning twice, for 3 minutes.  Process everything together until smooth.  Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

 

Notes: Shrimp paste, lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves are sometimes carried by the larger super markets, but they can be found at any Asian market.

When pressed for time I have used a few dashes of Thai fish sauce in place of shrimp paste, and doubled up on the lime rind in place of the kaffir leaves.

 

Three Pestos

Pesto is great tossed with any pasta, or try using it as a marinatde for grilled shrimp

or vegetables

Traditional

    2 cups    Fresh Basil Leaves, tightly packed

  4 cloves    Garlic, peeled and chopped

   1/3 cup    Pine Nuts

      1 cup    Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated

    ¾ cup    Olive Oil

                  Salt & Pepper         

Process basil, garlic cloves and pine nuts in a food processor until finely ground.  Add the cheese and process until well combined.  With the motor running slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube.

 

Southwestern

    2 cups    Fresh Cilantro, packed

  4 cloves    Garlic, peeled and chopped

   1/3 cup    Pine Nuts

             1    Chipotle Chile in Adobo

    ¾ cup    Olive Oil

                  Salt & Pepper         

Process cilantro, garlic cloves, pine nuts and chipotle in a food processor until finely ground.  With the motor running slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube.

 

Asian

1½  cups    Fresh Basil Leaves, tightly packed

    ½ cup    Fresh Cilantro, packed

  4 cloves    Garlic, peeled and chopped

     1 stalk    Lemon Grass, chopped

        1 Tb    Fresh Ginger, grated

    ½ cup    Sesame Seeds

     ½ tsp    Chile Paste

    ¾ cup    Vegetable Oil

                  Salt & Pepper         

Process basil, cilantro, garlic cloves, lemon grass, ginger, sesame seeds and chile paste in a food processor until finely ground.  Add With the motor running slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube.

Barbecue Sauce - Stacey-Style

 Stacey-Style = Add extra chipotle and adobo for more spicy-smoky fire!

       3 Tb    Olive Oil

             1    Spanish Onion, cut into ¼” pieces

            4    Garlic Cloves, minced

     2 cans    Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz.0

            2    Canned Chipotle Chiles in adobo sauce, minced

       3 Tb    Worcestershire Sauce

       3 Tb    Cider Vinegar

    ½ cup    Unsulfur4ed Molasses

    ½ cup    Brown Sugar

                  Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

1.      In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring, until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2.      Stir in tomatoes, chiles, Worcestershire, vinegar, molasses, and sugar.  Simmer until reduced by a third,   stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

3.      Working in batches, purée sauce in a blender.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Refrigerate in a jar up to 2 weeks.

 

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

         2 packages     spicy Italian sausage

                       1     onion, diced

               1 to 2     bell peppers, diced

            3 cloves     garlic, minced

              2 cups     mushrooms, sliced (optional)

       1 28 oz can     tomato puree

         1 6 oz can     tomato paste

              2 cups     water (or more)

                  1 Tb     basil

                  1 Tb     oregano

                  1 Tb     rosemary

                             salt & pepper to taste

 

Remove and discard sausage casing.  In large stock pot over high heat, crumble and brown sausage.  Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook till onions are translucent.  Strain & discard grease from pot.

Return pot to heat, add tomato paste, puree and water.  Stir well, add more water if needed.  Add mushrooms and generous portions of basil, oregano, rosemary, salt  and pepper.

Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and slowly simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency.