Enfrijoladas

Circle B Kitchen

Recipe adapted from Marcella Vallalodid

I took a few liberties with Ms. Vallalodid's recipe, but I think the results speak for themselves. The only caveat here is that the enchilada sauce you choose will make a huge difference in the flavors of the final dish. Homemade, is of course, an awesome choice, and I've given you a link to my recipe. Other than that, choose wisely. Hatch makes a decent sauce and I'm sure there are others out there. You can add some chipotle in adobo sauce or ground cayenne to give it more of a kick, if you like. You probably won't need the whole cup of chicken stock; only use as much as you need to create a smooth, pourable sauce. It should be a little thicker than a traditional enchilada sauce. The original recipe called for baking the enfrijoladas for 15 to 20 minutes, but I found that the tortillas got a bit soggy with this method but they fared much better with a semi-brief blitz under the broiler.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can refried beans

1 cup enchilada sauce (here's my recipe)

1 cup chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce (optional)

8 corn tortillas

3 or more cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Optional for serving: salsa, sliced avocado, Mexican crema (or sour cream), chopped or sliced red onions

You will need a 9x13 baking pan. If they don't all fit in your pan, you can either overlap them a little or use more than one pan. A baking sheet works as well.

Prep:

Grate the jack cheese

slice the green onions

chop the cilantro

Prep your toppings for serving

Combine the enchilada sauce, refried beans and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock in a 10-inch skillet or chefs pan. Stir over medium heat until the beans have blended into the sauce. If it seems too thick, add a little more stock. Taste for salt and pepper and add a little chipotle in adobo sauce or ground cayenne if you'd like it spicier. Let the sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to develop the flavors.

Working with one tortilla at a time, use a pair of tongs to dip it into the sauce just long enough to soften it a little. Place the tortilla in the baking dish, top with grated jack cheese, fold in half, and continue with the remaining tortillas.

Preheat the broiler.

Pour a little more of the sauce over the enfrijoladas and top them with more of the grated jack cheese.

Place them under the broiler (about 6 inches from the heat) and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Let cool about 5 minutes before serving with toppings of your choice.