Cheese Enchiladas

How to make Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

4 SERVINGS

For the Chile Gravy:
2 tablespoons Lard or butter
1/2 cup Onion, 1/4 inch (.6 cm) dice
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon Oregano (dried)
2 cups Beef stock
To taste Salt and black pepper

For the Enchiladas:
8 Corn tortillas
1/4 cup Vegetable oil
1/2 cup Onion, 1/4 inch (.6 cm) dice
2 cups Longhorn cheese, grated

Method:
Melt the lard over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is softened but not browned, 3 minutes.

Stir in the flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring.

Add the beef stock, a little at a time, stirring well. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until mixture is reduced and thickened.

Adjust thickness and seasoning. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350°F (175°C).

Pick up a tortilla with tongs and place it into the hot oil for about 15 seconds.This first step is to soften the tortilla.

Remove the tortilla from the oil, letting the excess oil drip back. Dip the tortilla into the chili gravy, coating both sides.

Place the now-coated tortilla in the pan, put a handful of onion and cheese on one edge of the tortilla, and roll it up. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down in one end of a lightly greased pan.

Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. The pan should be full.

Pour the remaining chili gravy on top of the enchiladas.

Sprinkle the enchiladas generously with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips:
This chili gravy is essential for enchiladas, tamales, and a host of other Tex-Mex dishes.The taste of chili gravy explains Tex-Mex cuisine more eloquently than words ever will.The thick brown gravy with Mexican spices is neither Mexican nor American. It wasn’t created in the homes of Texas Mexicans, either. It was invented in old-fashioned Mexican restaurants that catered to Anglo tastes. But what's amazing about it today is the way it illustrates how our tastes have changed.