Global Holiday Recipe: Green Chile Enchiladas

Holiday Feature

Green Chile Enchiladas

Makes 12 enchiladas

These vegan enchiladas are always popular at a party. The tortillas can be filled and the sauce prepared ahead of time. For the filling, I use preroasted and peeled Bueno green chile peppers, which can be found in the freezer sections of supermarkets in the Southwest. It fresh or frozen green chile peppers are not available, substitute canned green chile peppers.

Sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Filling
1 medium red onion, diced
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped canned or frozen mild green chile peppers
2-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
12 (10-inch) flour tortillas

To make the sauce:
sauté the garlic in the oil for 3 to 5 minutes in a saucepan. Add the oregano and cayenne and cook another 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir until all the oil is absorbed. Add the tomato paste and water slowly, stirring constantly, and cook over low heat until thick. Add the salt and vinegar.

To make the filling: sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin, green chiles, and pinto beans and cook over medium heat, mashing with a potato masher, about 5 minutes or until the consistency of a thick paste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling onto each tortilla, roll up, and place in a greased baking pan. Pour a cups sauce over the enchiladas and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbling. Heat the remaining sauce and serve with the enchiladas.

From:

'Tis The Season:
A Vegetarian Christmas Cookbook
by Nanette Blanchard
Photography by Simon Metz
Recipe reprinted by permission.