Cheese Enchiladas Acapulco
Dear SOS: About 15 years ago, SOS printed a recipe for enchilada sauce that contained Mexican chocolate. I’ve lost my copy and wondered if you would print it again.
Martynn Rafferty
Coventry, England
Dear Martynn: This recipe ran in 1989. These enchiladas--and their sauce--were from the restaurant La Villa Taxco in Hollywood.
Enchilada sauce
Combine the broth, chile powder, garlic powder, oregano and cumin in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Combine the chocolate, mole sauce and about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid from the saucepan in a blender and liquefy. Return to the spice mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt.
Melt the lard in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring, until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in a small amount of the liquid from the spice mixture until smooth.
Return to the spice mixture and mix well. Bring again to a simmer, reduce the heat and simmer until the flavors meld, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps from forming.
Enchiladas
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the lard in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas to soften slightly, about 15 seconds a side. Add more oil or lard if the skillet becomes dry. Drain the tortillas on paper towels.
Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the cheese down the center of each tortilla and roll. Place seam-side-down in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Finish with the remaining tortillas.
Cover the enchiladas with Enchilada Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly, 15 to 25 minutes. Garnish with the green onions and olives. Pass the leftover sauce when serving.
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