Red Chili Enchiladas

Red Chili Enchiladas. That's all I have to say. My parents sent me some dried red chilies and fresh green chilies from New Mexico. This is a combination of recipes from everyone to my cousin, friends and food network.

Red Chili Enchiladas
Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

20-30 dried red chilies (Ancho or Pasilla)

6-8 garlic cloves

1/2 onion chopped

salt

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin- optional if you like the smokey flavor cumin gives

Chicken broth or water

Enchiladas

corn tortillas

shredded cheese

olive oil

Garnish

diced onion

diced tomato

chopped cilantro

sour cream

fried egg for breakfast

Remove the stems off the chilies and shake out as many seeds as you can. (you don't have to shake out the seeds but they are hard for my girls to chew- well Pixie anyway.) Wipe the chilies with a damp cloth or run them under the water to remove the dust. 

If you're not in a rush soak the chilies in warm water until soft about 20 minutes. I simmered in hot water for 10 minutes.

Place onion and garlic in tin foil and roast (or cook it when cooking the pork)

If you're using pork, trim the fat and cut it into bite sized pieces.

Saute the garlic and onion in a dutch oven and remove. Then brown the pork and set it aside also.

Take the chilies cut into pieces, onion and garlic and put them in a blender with just enough water or broth to puree it. Put it in the dutch oven. Stir in the pork. Bring the sauce up to a boil, then simmer until the pork is tender. If you aren't using pork simmer until thick about 20-25 minutes.

Add salt and spices, season to taste.

 To assemble enchiladas put a little bit of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
OPTIONAL- In a small frying pan with a little bit of oil fry each tortilla you use just to heat it and give it a little color.
Layer tortillas on top of the sauce, add cheese and repeat ending with sauce.  You may not use all the sauce, freeze it or serve it on the side.
Bake in a 350 oven until heated through. Ten minutes before you take it out of the oven sprinkle with cheese on top.

 YUM with a fried egg and Chicharron

on top, with hot sauce. Perfect breakfast.