There are a few cool tricks to this Enchiladas Con Carne recipe, one of which Sam Sifton picked up from an old issue of Bon Appétit, one he learned from Robb Walsh, the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur who runs El Real Tex-Mex in Houston, and a final one Sifton learned by happenstance. First, for the thickening agent in the chile sauce, toast raw all-purpose flour in a pan until it is nutty and golden brown, then reserve it to stir in with the browned beef later in the recipe. Second, if you like truly melty cheese in the classic Tex-Mex tradition, use a mixture of American cheese, like Velveeta, with the Cheddar you use inside and on top of the finished enchiladas.

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Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CHILI CON CARNE
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
1 pound ground chuck beef, ideally 20 percent fat
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño pepper or more to taste, seeds removed if you want it less spicy, stemmed and chopped
1 cup chopped or canned crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican
2 cups chicken stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium if store-bought

FOR THE ENCHILADAS
½ cup neutral oil, like canola
12 yellow corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or a mixture of 1½ cups Cheddar cheese and 1½ cups American cheese, like Velveeta
1 medium-size white onion, peeled and chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the chili con carne: Put flour in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden brown and smell nutty, then pour it onto a plate to cool.

Wipe out sauté pan and return it to high heat with 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot and shimmery, add ground beef to pan, and cook, breaking it up with a fork and stirring, until it is well browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to remove meat to a bowl, leaving drippings behind.

Add onion, garlic and jalapeño to pan and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits of meat, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomatoes and cook until their liquid has evaporated, then add chile powder, cumin and oregano and stir to combine. After a minute or so, when mixture begins to turn fragrant, return browned meat to pan, along with toasted flour, and stir well to combine.

Lower heat to medium-high and slowly stir in chicken stock, ½ cup at a time, until mixture has thickened and started to simmer. Lower heat again and allow chili to cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meat is tender. Add more stock or water if needed. Use immediately, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a few days.

When you are ready to cook the enchiladas, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat ½ cup neutral oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.

Assemble the enchiladas: Using a ladle, put about ½ cup chili in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of cheese into each tortilla, along with a tablespoon or so of chili, then place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle remaining chili over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped onions over the top, if using, and serve immediately.

It’s hard to come up with an English translation that does justice to this incredibly delicious, homey dish, so I’m slotting in the Spanish name. Entomatadas are tortillas rolled around fresh cheese doused with a roasted tomato-green chile sauce, then more cheese and a little thick cream. Most everyone says “enchiladas!” when they see it, but they’re not, really. They get a tomato sauce, not a chile sauce. That’s why they’re entomatadas not enchiladas. And ones with a bean sauce are enfrijoladas. That’s the way things work in Mexican Spanish. The only thing you need to know is that in central Mexico a tomato isn’t a tomate, it’s a jitomate (harkening back to the fruit’s original Aztec name). So there these beauties are called enjitomatadas.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE:
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 small jalapeño), stemmed
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small white onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
12 ounces ripe tomatoes OR 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil or fresh-rendered pork lard
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
A large sprig of epazote or a big handful of cilantro leaves

FOR FINISHING THE DISH:
1 small white onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
8 ounces (about 2 cups) crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like goat cheese, dryish (hand-dipped) ricotta or salted farmers cheese
12 corn tortillas
A tablespoon or so of vegetable oil to brush or spray the tortillas
About 1/2 cup Mexican crema, crème fraiche or sour cream thinned with a little milk
2 ounces (about ½ cup) grated Mexican queso añejo (like Cotija) or other garnishing cheese like Parmesan or Romano (optional, but recommended)
A handful of cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sauce. Heat a broiler and position the shelf on its highest setting. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread out the green chiles, unpeeled garlic and onion slices (in a single layer). (You may want to line the sheet with foil for easy clean up.) If using fresh tomatoes, spread them onto the sheet as well; set aside canned tomatoes to add later. Broil until everything is blotchy black and softened, then flip everything else and broil on the other side—tomatoes will take about 6 minutes per side; other vegetables may be ready in less time.

Cool everything until handleable, then pull off the tomatoes’ blackened skin (if you wish) and peel the garlic. Cut the chiles into several pieces, then combine all the roasted vegetables in a blender or food processor and coarsely puree (the mixture should still have a little texture). In a large (4-quart) saucepan, heat the oil or lard over medium-high. When hot enough to make a drop of the puree sizzle sharply, add it all at once. Stir nearly continuously for several minutes until the mixture darkens and thickens nearly to the consistency of tomato paste, about 7 minutes. Add the broth or water and the epazote or cilantro. Simmer for 20 or 30 minutes for the flavors to come together, then taste and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of your broth).

Finish the dish. Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water to rid it of unpleasant flavors, shake off excess moisture and scoop into a medium bowl. Add the crumbled cheese and toss to mix (use a light hand so that it stays light and separate). Either quick-fry the tortillas one by one in oil to soften them, blotting them dry with paper towels, or brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil, slide into a plastic bag (don’t seal) and microwave for 1 minute at 100% power. Three at a time, lay out tortillas, scoop a couple of heaping tablespoon of cheese onto each one, splash with a little sauce, then fold in half (like a half-moon) and lay ton a deep warm dinner plate, slightly overlapping. When 4 plates are filled (there should be a some of the filling left), bring the sauce to boil, ladle a portion over each set of filled tortillas, dollop with the crema, then scatter on the remaining filling, the añejo cheese (or a substitute) and the cilantro leaves.

Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce recipe is from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 6 – Fonda Favorites. Also, try using the sauce as described in Meatballs in Guajillo Sauce.

Serves 8-10

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 garlic cloves minced
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons white onion chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce or to taste
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce optional
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 to 3 fresh cilantro sprigs or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat with the eggs, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spatula.

Place tomatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; simmer over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through and mushy.

In a blender, add the cooked tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of their cooking liquid, 2 garlic cloves, white onion, the sauce from the chipotle chiles in adobo and, if desired, one whole seeded chipotle chile. Purée until smooth.

Pour the oil into a large soup pot and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, pour in the puréed tomato mix. It will sizzle and jump, that is ok! Let it simmer, with the lid ajar, anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes, or until it has changed its color to a deeper red, thickened in consistency and lost its raw flavor. Add the chicken broth and salt to taste and reduce heat to medium low.

Place a small mixing bowl with water to the side of the soup pot with the simmering tomato broth. Wet your hands and start to make the meatballs, one by one. They should be anywhere from 1 to 2″. Gently place the meatballs in the simmering tomato broth.

Once you have shaped all the meatballs, add the cilantro sprigs to the pot, then simmer over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve hot with a side of Mexican avocado slices, some warm corn tortillas and, if desired, frijoles de olla or white rice and plantains.

Meatballs in Guajillo Sauce recipe is from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 5 – From Pueblo to City. Uses ground turkey for the meatballs, maybe use the meatballs in Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce.

Serves 6-8

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
6 guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
2 pounds tomatillos husked and rinsed
3 garlic cloves peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt divided, or to taste
2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion divided
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs of fresh epazote or cilantro sprigs, or substitute 4 dried leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a casserole over medium-high heat. Once hot, toast the guajillo chiles, turning often, until toasted deeply browned and you can smell the chile fumes, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatillos and garlic, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the tomatillos are thoroughly cooked, their color has changed from a bright green to olive, and the guajillos have plumped up and rehydrated, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos, garlic, chiles and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to a blender. Allow to cool slightly, add 1 teaspoon salt and puree until completely smooth. Drain the water from the casserole or soup pot, rinse and dry, and return to the stove.

Add the oil and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 cup of the chopped onion and cook until tender and the edges have just begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillo puree, cover partially as the thick sauce will splash and splutter, and simmer for about 7 to 8 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and darkened.

Meanwhile combine the ground turkey with the breadcrumbs, egg, remaining 1/4 cup onion, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mix together well.

When the tomatillo puree has cooked down stir in the broth, scraping the bottom and sides of the casserole to incorporate any sauce sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan.

Place the ground turkey mixture and a small bowl of water next to the casserole. Wet your hands, and start shaping the turkey into approximately 1 1/2-inch balls. Gently drop the balls into the sauce as you form them. When all the meatballs have been added to the sauce, add the sprigs of epazote or cilantro and simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Serve.

Tiger Pound Cake uses sour cream to make the cake moist. Use ice cream scoops to plop the chocolate batter on the orange batter as a swirling mechanism.

Serves 10

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
2 cups unsalted butter plus more to grease a 10 x 3.5 inch bundt pan
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust the bundt pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a bundt pan and coat with flour, dusting off any excess flour.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until soft and creamy, anywhere from 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy and puffy.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs with vanilla and sour cream.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and take turns adding flour mixture and egg mixture. Continue beating until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula if need be. Transfer 1/3 the dough to another bowl, leaving the remaining 2/3 of the dough in the mixer.

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the hot water and cocoa. With a rubber spatula, fold the cocoa mixture into the 1/3 of the batter set aside in an extra bowl until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

To the batter left in the mixer, add the orange zest, almond extract and orange juice, and beat until completely mixed.

With two ice cream scoops or measuring cups, alternate dropping the chocolate batter and the orange-almond batter into the bundt pan. When all the batter is in the pan, run a butter knife or a skewer through it to create the marbled look.

Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, until springy to the touch, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out moist, but not wet. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool.

Once cool, run a butter knife around the cake and invert onto a platter. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Quick Roasted Tomatillo Salsita includes white onion, cilantro and hot chiles for a spicy green sauce.

Yield 2 cups

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound tomatillos husked and rinsed
1 garlic clove unpeeled
1 thick slice of a large white onion (about 2 ounces)
1 whole jalapeño or serrano chile or more to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and upper stems coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat the broiler.

On a small baking dish or baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, place the tomatillos, garlic, onion slice and chile. Place under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the ingredients once in between, until completely charred and mushy. Watch out for the garlic as you may need to remove it a few minutes before the rest of the ingredients. When cool enough to handle, peel the husk off the garlic cloves and remove stem from the chile.

In the jar of a blender, place the tomatillos and their juices, chile, onion and garlic. Also add cilantro and salt. Puree to your desired texture, you may leave it chunky or puree until smooth.

Caramelized Pasilla Brisket includes dried pasilla chiles, tomatillos and brown sugar. It will take 4.5 hours or more to prepare.

Serves 6

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces (about 5 to 6) dried pasilla chiles stemmed and seeded
3 pounds beef brisket trimmed
2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos husked, rinsed, quartered
1 large white onion cut into chunks
10 garlic cloves peeled
4 cups chicken broth
4 ounces (or 1/2 cup) grated piloncillo or brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes halved
1 1/2 pounds carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
Greens of your choice for salad
Freshly squeezed lime juice and olive oil to dress the salad

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Heat up a comal or skillet over medium heat, then toast the pasilla chiles for about 1 to 2 minutes, flipping with tongs as they toast. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.

Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large casserole or roasting pan set over high heat. Brown the meat for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the toasted pasilla chiles, tomatillos, onion, garlic, chicken broth, piloncillo, the remaining teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Make sure chiles are covered with the broth.

Cover and seal tight with a lid or aluminum foil. Place in the oven and braise for 3 to 3-and-a-half hours, or until meat is tender. Remove from the oven. Remove the meat and place on a chopping board.

In a pot with salted boiling water, cook the potatoes and the carrots for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and reserve.

Pour all the remaining contents of the roasting pan into the jar of a blender and puree until completely smooth. Pour the sauce back into roasting pan.

Slice the meat against the grain into about 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices and return it to the roasting pan. Add the potatoes and carrots, cover everything with the sauce. Cover the dish and return to oven for another 30 minutes. Remove the lid or aluminum foil, return to the oven and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Toss the greens of your choice with lime juice and olive oil to taste. Serve the brisket with the side salad.