Enchilda sauce

[EP]

Looking for an enchilda sauce that can be used for chicken enchildas. Also one for beef, if not the same.

[Anne]

Here's one of my favorites that seems to work on just about any type of enchiladas (might be too strong for halibut)

2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon flour
4 cloves garlic, minced (may want less)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
4 chipotle chiles (canned), chopped (may want less)
2 tablespoons sauce from the chipotles
2 tablespoons sour cream

Sometimes I add a bit of basil along with the cumin and oregano. If the enchiladas are bean I add a bit more herbs.

Heat oil in a skillet and stir in the flour. Add garlic and cook mixture until it is medium brown. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in water and broth. Put pan back on stove and add the spices, chiles and adobo sauce. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Whisk in sour cream.

[Gail]

You may consider this kind of a cop-out answer, but not knowing the ingredients of your enchiladas will make a difference here, since there are an awful lot of different sauces. Enchiladas suizas, for example, are going to have more of a creamy sauce. There are bean sauces, tomatillo sauces, and red chili sauces to name a few. (But not knowing if you're trying to stay low-fat and all, I'm a little hesitant to provide recipes since I don't think anything I have falls into that category.) Frankly, I find most enchilada sauces are pretty interchangeable-- unless you've gotten hold of something with atypical ingredients, such as mushrooms. The sauce Anne has provided certainly sounds versatile.

Quite frankly, I've gone through the whole traditional business of soaking red chiles and grinding 'em down. Know what? The stuff I buy in the store (Las Palmas red chile or enchilada sauce is one of the biggies here in So. California) tastes exactly the same and doesn't burn the heck out of your hands in the process! It works great on chicken enchiladas as well as beef. Or cheese.

[Anne]

Incidently, I've tried lowering the amount of oil in the beginning step to 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon flour for the brown sauce (roux?) and adding the rest of the flour in along with the water and broth but it doesn't work very well. Low fat sour cream works fine and yoghurt worked ok. Any other enlightening ideas are welcome.

[EP]

Actually what I was hoping to duplicate is a low fat chicken enchilda entree that is served at a chain restaurant called Don Pablo's. The filling is shredded breast meat that taste like a taco, the sauce is red, which goes over the tortilla, then a small amt. of cheddar and Monteray Jack cheeses.

[Gail]

Okay. Here's the deal. What you're describing, unless I'm missing something, sounds like your standard chicken enchilada. My sister's caregiver makes 'em all the time (she's Mexican) with the aforementioned sauce. Since Las Palmas isn't a national brand I'm reasonably sure, have you checked your market for canned red chile sauces? Restaurants tend to do sneaky things (depending upon the degree of Americanization) like adding tomato sauce or beef broth or a roux. I checked my recipe for enchiladas rancheras from our local chain, El Torito, and that puppy is loaded with oil. No low fat there, amiga (or are you an amigo?)

In the event you don't find any chile colorado or plain ol' enchilada sauce made of red chiles (no tomato, please), here's a basic one-- IF you can get your hands on the peppers. (with gloves, please)

SALSA DE CHILE COLORADO

6 chiles pasillas
6 chiles colorados
3 cups hot water or stock
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon comino (cumin)
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 can tomato sauce, if you must (optional)
2 tablespoons oil
Salt

Put chiles in hot, dry skillet until parched. Remove seeds; wash and soak chiles in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. Do not discard water. Add remaining ingredients except oil and mix in blender or grind until very smooth; strain if necessary. Heat oil, add sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors. Makes about 1 quart, enough for 12 enchiladas.

(From Elena's Secrets of Mexican Cooking)

I am also throwing one in from "The Frug" which sounds pretty good, and has the advantage of using dried chiles rather than fresh.


SALSA ROJA
Makes about 3cups

2 ounces large whole dried red chiles (use anchos if you can find them)
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons browned all-purpose flour (spread on baking sheet and baked at 400º 5 to 7 minutes or until browned)
1 ripe medium tomato, cored and chopped
3/4 cup Chicken stock
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Clean the dried chiles by removing stems and seeds. Careful, use rubber gloves for this! Soak the chile pieces in 1 1/2 cup hot water, covered, for 1 hour. Place them in a blender, along with the water, garlic and salt. Purée and set aside.

Heat a medium frying pan and add the oil and onion. Sauté until the onion is clear and then add the cumin and browned flour. Stir for a moment and add the tomato. Sauté until all is tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chile mixture, chicken stock and red wine vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.

(From: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors)

Now, if your red sauce was light (orangey) that would be a whole different animal, like a ranchera sauce...

By the way, I see Don Pablo's has a web site, www.donpablo.com. (http://www.donpablo.com.) Maybe you might want to e-mail them for help. Sometimes restaurants do share secrets!

Dunno if I helped at all, but I tried!


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 08-09-2000).]

[EP]

Gail, you have been so very thoughtful for sharing so much useful information. Even though we have resided an TX for 30 years and really enjoy Tex-Mex food, I had no idea there were so many different sauces! Can you tell me more about the "orangey" sauce, as we have also enjoyed it. You definitely are on the right track trying to keep it low fat as that is the only way I can enjoy without a lot of guilt!! Thanks again. P.S. I couldn't get through to the Don Pablo website--I definitely would request the sauce receipe. Thanks for suggestion--I didn't know it existed.

[lorilei]

EP -- you'll want to copy the website address directly into your browser. The computer is reading the . from Gail's message as part of the URL, so you won't get a response connecting directly.

On second thought, here's a link:
www.donpablos.com (http://www.donpablos.com)

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Happy day! Hope you find the recipe...

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 08-10-2000).]

[EP]

Lorilei--thanks for the suggestion. I have reached the website and submitted a request, however, still want the "CL Board"'s input.
Thanks

[Gail]

Before I give you that Ranchera Sauce, I just came across a red chile sauce with NO oil. And, since you're in New Mexico and the recipe is from New Mexico, maybe these chiles will be easier for you to find. Note though-- I haven't tried this, so you're on your own.

VEGETARIAN RED CHILE SAUCE
Makes approximately 5 cups

3/4 cup dried ground red chile, preferably Chimayó,or other New Mexico red, or ancho
1 tablespoon minced white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 cups vegetable broth, preferably, or water
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Additional salt and white pepperto taste

Into a large, heavy saucepan, measure the chile, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly add the broth or water, stirring carefully. Break up any lumps of chile.Cook the mixture over medium heat until warmed through, and add the cornstarch. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The completed sauce should coat a spoon thickly and no longer taste of raw cornstarch.

Serve the cause warm with enchiladas, burritos or other dishes.

Vegetarian red chile sauce keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.

(From: The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook)

Okay. On to the Ranchera. I will be honest here. I do not like this sauce. It is way too "gringo" for me. The only reason I even keep it is that my husband likes it. Nonetheless, many, many people dining at the El Torito restaurant chain seem to enjoy it, which is why it was published in the newspaper. So, here it is, for your consideration, oil and all:

EL TORITO RANCHERA SAUCE

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper,chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon chicken stock base
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups crushed tomatoes

Heat oil, add onion, celery and green pepper and cook until vegetables are tender and onion is transparent. Mix flour, marjoram, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Add water slowly to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Combine vegetables, flour mixutte, chicken stock base, broth and tomatoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 hour. Makes enough sauce for 12 enchiladas.

(From: The LA Times, Culinary SOS)

A more basic ranchera sauce might be:

SALSA RANCHERA

1 teaspoon cilantro (coriander) seeds, crushed
2 cups solid-pack tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
2 or more chiles serranos

Soak cilantro seeds in hot water for 5 minutes. Strain. Combine cilantro water with tomatoes, onions, garlic and chiles and mix in blender. Add salt. This sauce may be used cold or hot. Good for meat and poultry, tostadas, tacos and fried eggs. Makes about 1 pint.

(From: Elenas Secrets of Mexican Cooking)

Good luck tracking down your recipe!

[EP]

Thanks to everyone for your help with the sauce receipes. They all sound good, and eventually would like to try all of them, depending on availablility of ingred.(I live in TX) so hopefully access will be easy. I did e-mail Don Pablo's--but no response. Thanks again for your time and trouble.

[Gail]

Originally posted by EP:
Thanks to everyone for your help with the sauce receipes. They all sound good, and eventually would like to try all of them, depending on availablility of ingred.(I live in TX) so hopefully access will be easy. I did e-mail Don Pablo's--but no response. Thanks again for your time and trouble.

Moron alert! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif You did tell me no less than twice that you're in Texas, and I stubbornly insist upon shipping you off to New Mexico. Sorry about that. (Obviously too many chiles...)