El Cholo's Cheese Enchiladas

Makes 12 enchiladas

12 corn tortillas
2 oz. dried pasillo chilies
2 oz. dried California chilies
1 cup hot water
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup+ vegetable oil
to taste salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 onions, chopped
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar or longhorn cheese
Recipe

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Remove stems and seeds from chilies and soak in hot water. Place rehydrated chilies and water in blender and blend until smooth. Place mixture in saucepan and boil.
  3. Heat 1/4 cup oil in another saucepan, add garlic, cook until browned. Stir in flour and cook until golden brown. Add beef broth and cook, stirring until thickened.
  4. Stir hot chili sauce into mixture and cook until sauce is thickened but soupy. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano and cumin and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then remove from heat.
  5. Combine, in a bowl, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, chopped onion, salt to taste and vinegar.
  6. Heat oil in a skillet, add tortillas, one at a time, and fry very lightly on both sides just to soften. Sprinkle cheese and onion mixture on each tortilla. Reserving some of each for the top of the baking dish, roll tortilla and place in a shallow baking dish in which bottom has been spread with a thin layer of chili mixture. Seam side down. Cover enchiladas with sauce and sprinkle remaining onion mixture and cheese over the top.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Do not over heat or enchiladas will dry out.