Enchiladas Compuestas by Liddie Martinez. Courtesy photo
Editor’s note: The Los Alamos Daily Post is introducing today a new food column by Liddie Martinez who will share her traditional New Mexican dishes once a month with our readers.
By LIDDIE MARTINEZI learned how to cook traditional New Mexican dishes at my Grandmother’s side. We raised a few animals, a small flock of chickens and a vegetable garden so, my methods are still Farm to Table, a new buzz phrase in the world of cuisine but a centuries’ old tradition in Northern New Mexico that is still alive and well.
Because of our rural nature, bartering with neighboring farms was essential and allowed for a tried and true distribution system that kept products fresh, improved variety and, perhaps, more importantly, created a self-sufficient community that thrived on an established network of growers and consumers.
There are a vast number of very accomplished cooks in our region and I will be the first to say that I am but one humble, local farmer who happens to love to cook. There are a thousand ways to make the dishes I will be sharing with you, so I encourage you to be creative in your kitchens and make substitutions to fit your dietary needs and available ingredients in your pantry.
When one of my recipes calls for lard, don’t faint! You can substitute with butter or shortening, and sometimes, oil, depending on the recipe. Keep in mind; most of these traditional recipes were developed over the centuries in my family and represent ingredients available in the early 1900s.
Enchiladas Compuestas
Red Chile
1 ½ Lbs. Beef (cubed or ground)
1 Cup Red Chile Powder
1 Small Onion, Chopped
3 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 -3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. salt
4 Cups Chicken or Beef Broth
1 Cup cold water
Sauté beef, salt and onions in oil in a heavy cast iron Dutch oven until the onions are transparent. Remove from pot and set aside. Toss minced garlic into the pot adding an additional tsp. of oil, if needed, and sauté for one minute and then add flour and cook until golden brown whisking in caramelized particles at the bottom of the pan. When you smell a nutty aroma and the roux is golden brown add the chile and then the broth whisking rapidly to dissolve any lumps (wear an apron- red chile never comes off clothing). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. At this point you must judge the thickness of your sauce. How thick or thin you need it will depend on what your intended use is, such as for Frito pies or enchilada casserole you will want a thinner sauce than that intended for flat enchiladas. Add small amounts of cold water to thin to desired thickness and wait until the chile reaches a boiling pint before adding more water so that you will know the true consistency. Simmer for ten minutes and remove from heat. If you want your chile to have meat in it, add some of the cooked beef you set aside; if you don’t, save the beef for the enchilada layering or for another dish altogether. You could, of course, make the chile without using the pan drippings but, you would be sacrificing flavor.
Enchiladas
12 corn tortillas
2 Cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 Cups cooked ground or cubed beef (optional)
1 Cup onion, chopped fine
2-3 Cups Red Chile, prepared and piping hot
½ Head lettuce, shredded
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
4-6 Tablespoons lard or cooking oil
6 eggs
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry each tortilla until just soft, turning once and drain on paper towels. On each plate layer beginning with chile, then tortilla, beef, cheese, onion, chile, tortilla, chile and cheese. Fry eggs over easy and add one to the top of each stack. Garnish around the edge of plate with shredded lettuce and top with tomato garnish. Serve immediately. Recipe makes six servings.
