Enchiladas Rojas

This recipe is from the Time Life Foods of the World, Latin American Cooking.
This really should be in a Mexico or South American forum but this will do. Move it if you wish.

FRIED SAUSAGE-FILLED TORTILLAS WITH RED CHILI SAUCE


To serve 6
THE SAUCE

6    dried ancho chilies
1    cup boiling water
5    fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or   substitute 1 2/3 cups chopped, drained, canned Italian plum tomatoes.
½     cup coarsely chopped onions
¼     teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ teaspoon crumbled dried epazote,' if available
Pinch of sugar
1    teaspoon salt
¼     teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5    tablespoons lard
2      eggs
1    cup heavy cream
6    Spanish chorizo sausages, skinned and coarsely chopped, or substitute 3/4 pound smoked, spiced pork sausage, skinned and chopped
2/3   cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12    tortillas
1/2   cup coarsely chopped onions

Under cold running water, pull the stems off the chilies. Cut or tear the chilies into halves, and brush out the seeds. With a small, sharp knife, cut away any large ribs; then tear them into small pieces. In a small bowl, soak the chilies in 1 cup of boiling water for 30 minutes.


Pour the chilies and their soaking water into the jar of an electric blender and blend at high speed for about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes,  1/2 cup of the onions, the garlic, epazote, sugar, salt and black pepper, and blend for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is reduced to a smooth puree. (To make the sauce by hand, puree the chilies, tomatoes, onions, garlic and epazote-a cup or so at a time~in a food mill set over a large mixing bowl. Discard any pulp remaining in the mill. Stir in the sugar, salt and black pepper.)


In an 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the lard over moderate heat until a haze forms above it. Pour in the chili and vegetable puree and, stirring frequently, cook it for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until they are well combined, then stir in the cream. Slowly pour the egg-cream mixture into the sauce in the skillet, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Cover the skillet and set it aside.

(I didn't have 6 Chorizos so I substituted 3 Andouille)






In another 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon more of the lard over moderate heat and add the chopped sausages. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sausages have rendered most of their fat and are lightly browned.


With a slotted spoon, remove the sausages from the skillet and drain them on paper toweling. Discard the fat from the skillet. Place the sausages in a small bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons of the chili sauce and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese.
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In the heavy skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of lard over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Fry and fill the tortillas, one at a time, in the following fashion: Dip a tortilla in the tomato sauce, drop it into the hot lard, and fry it for a minute or so on each side, or until it becomes limp but not brown. (I skipped this step)( I used store bought tortillas - never again)

Transfer the tortilla from the pan to a plate and place about 1/4 cup of the sausage mixture in the center.


Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling, then roll the tortilla completely into a thick cylinder. Place it seam side down in a shallow 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Fry and fill the remaining tortillas similarly, replenishing the lard in the frying pan when necessary.


When the tortillas are all arranged in one layer in the baking dish, pour the remaining tomato sauce over them, and sprinkle the top with the  1/2 cup of the chopped onions and the remaining cheese.


Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are lightly browned on top.


To serve, gently transfer the enchiladas with a spatula to heated individual plates and spoon some of the sauce over them.
1st plate fresh out of the oven.


Reheated a little later with sauce on top and some of my pickled jalapenos


NOTE.' 3 cups of leftover lean roast pork or cooked chicken, finely shredded, may be substituted for the sausage. In that case, do not brown the pork or chicken, but simply combine it with the tomato sauce and the grated Parmesan cheese.

This stuff is really spicy(not hot) and rich, mucho bueno!!!

Nice! I went out and had Mexican food for lunch, but you've got me drooling again!

Thanks for posting your take on enchiladas.

Tatoosh,

There you go, that is the recipe I had looked at before.  Sadly no jalapeno in the Philippines, but we'll find something to add in there!