Onion and Olive Enchiladas

Name: Onion and Olive Enchiladas
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 10 dried Anaheim or New Mexican chiles, stemmed; 6 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed; 4 cloves garlic; 1 ⁄ 2 cup olive oil; 5 tbsp. flour; 2 tbsp. cider vinegar; 2 tsp. dried oregano; 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 10 (6") flour tortillas; 12 oz. cotija cheese; 1 (6-oz.) can large pitted black olives, drained and roughly chopped

Serves
serves 8

PENNY DE LOS SANTOS

Anaheim and pasilla chiles combine in a pureed sauce for these Cal-Mex—style enchiladas, filled with cotija cheese and black olives. This recipe first appeared in our December 2012 issue along with Georgia Freedman's story California Eternal.

Ingredients

10 dried Anaheim or New Mexican chiles, stemmed
6 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed
4 cloves garlic
¹⁄₂ cup olive oil
5 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
10 (6") flour tortillas
12 oz. cotija cheese
1 (6-oz.) can large pitted black olives, drained and roughly chopped

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°. Place chiles in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water; let sit until chiles are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2½ cups soaking liquid, and then remove stems and seeds from chiles; transfer chiles to a blender along with reserved soaking liquid and garlic; puree until smooth, and set aside.

Step 2

Heat 5 tbsp. oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat; add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is a light caramel color, about 3 minutes. Add chile puree, vinegar, and oregano, and season with salt. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes; set chile sauce aside. Heat remaining oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Step 3

To assemble, spread ¼ cup chile sauce in the bottom of a 9" × 13" baking dish. Dip one tortilla at a time into sauce, and then place on a plate; sprinkle with? cup cooked onions, ¼ cup cotija, and 1 tbsp. olives. Roll up tightly, and place in the baking dish, seam-side down; repeat with remaining tortillas, and more sauce, cheese, and olives.

Step 4

Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and olives; bake until heated through and cheese is just melted, about 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°. Place chiles in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water; let sit until chiles are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2½ cups soaking liquid, and then remove stems and seeds from chiles; transfer chiles to a blender along with reserved soaking liquid and garlic; puree until smooth, and set aside.
Heat 5 tbsp. oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat; add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is a light caramel color, about 3 minutes. Add chile puree, vinegar, and oregano, and season with salt. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes; set chile sauce aside. Heat remaining oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
To assemble, spread ¼ cup chile sauce in the bottom of a 9" × 13" baking dish. Dip one tortilla at a time into sauce, and then place on a plate; sprinkle with? cup cooked onions, ¼ cup cotija, and 1 tbsp. olives. Roll up tightly, and place in the baking dish, seam-side down; repeat with remaining tortillas, and more sauce, cheese, and olives.
Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and olives; bake until heated through and cheese is just melted, about 40 minutes.