enchiladas recipe with the meat, sauce, vegetables and wraps on separate plates

inspiration

How to make the best enchiladas

August 2, 2016 • In World food, Mexican-style,

Enchiladas are very traditional in Mexican cuisine, with their appearance varying according to the region in which they’re made – often appearing as a dish in themselves, or as an accompaniment to chicken or carne asada (sliced grilled beef).

TYPES OF ENCHILADA

The structure of an enchilada is always the same: a tortilla warmed quickly through a little bit of oil. Over the years, enchiladas have adopted a variety of names, but in fact the only difference between them all is the sauce used: if you serve them with green salsa, they are ‘enchiladas verdes’, if you serve them with sauce they are ‘enfrijoladas’ (corn tortillas in black bean sauce) or ‘empipianadas’ (enchiladas made with a pumpkin seed sauce known as pipían), and so on.

ENCHILADA FILLINGS

What you fill them with is entirely up to you, but popular favourites include: shredded chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or lobster and queso fresco (or mild feta); chopped onion and fresh cheese; or simply finely shredded lettuce, Mexican crema (crème fraîche is a great substitute), onion, crumbled fresh cheese, and long, thick slices of jalapeños.

This recipe comes from Sonora, a state in the northern region of Mexico.

HOW TO MAKE PORK ENCHILADAS

Serves 6

40g unsalted butter

1kg higher-welfare pork fillet

3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 sprig of fresh oregano

4 dry-roasted serrano chilli peppers

1 teaspoon plain flour

Place a large frying pan over a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cut the pork fillet into 6 pieces and fry in the pan for around 10 minutes, turning once, until browned all over.

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Peel and finely chop the garlic then add to the pan along with the vinegar, oregano sprig and a pinch of sea salt.

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Pour in 475ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

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Whiz the chillis in a food processor or blender until finely ground, then sprinkle them over the meat.

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Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Stir into the pan of meat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

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Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately with warm homemade tortillas.

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For a gluten-free tortilla recipe, check out Shay Ola's 1 minute tip:

Take a look at some more of our delicious Mexican recipes, or check out our gallery of celebratory Mexican meals for a festive gathering.

Recipe from Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte, published by Phaidon.