August 2024
Usually, I make chicken enchiladas, but, this morning, I decided to go for the beef, and create The Whole Enchilada.
This version is packed with scrumptious ingredients, whereas my Chicken Enchilada is much more refined, restrained, and reserved, in harmony with the simple and august nature of Le Poulet. or, if the bird is feminine, La Poule.
The recipe is:
1 pound of lean ground beef
1/2 sweet white onion, chopped
3-4 stalks of green onions, chopped, the hollow part, not the green leafies
1/2 can black olives (the salted kind); cut the olives in half
1 can Green Giant Mexicorn, mixed with 1 can Ranch Style Beans (drained)
1 8-oz. block of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 8-oz. block of Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 large can La Victoria red enchilada sauce
1 package flour tortillas
An explanation for olives-with-salt is in order.
I specify black olives with salt because, for whatever weird reason, the Olive Companies have decided to stock a low-salt variety, which Dear Husband inadvertently brought home from the bare-shelves of the local grocery store. I cannot comprehend why this ridiculous marketing is occurring, but I spend too much time every day trying to figure out the stupid marketing of most merchandise, edible and otherwise.
Suffice it to say that (1) the low-salt olive is flavor-free, except for a dull, offensive aftertaste; and (2) if you’re on a low-salt diet, olives are probably not on your list of permissible foods!
The instructions for The Whole Enchilada are:
Sauté the lean ground beef in a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion, a few dashes of salt, and the same amount of black pepper.
While the beef is cooking, prepare your assembly line of ingredients. The pejorative sense of the assembly line, as presently experienced in education, health care, and other troubled sectors of the U.S. economy, has got to go! Assembling recipe components, in a linear form, helps me, enormously, to gain, and even keep, a sense of balance and order in our tacky topsy-turvy world.
Once the ground beef has almost completely cooked, turn off the heat. Let it cool, and then drain the meat, or you’ll have a greasy mess of an enchilada.
I use a large cutting board as my work station, or enchilada canvas, and methodically order the components as listed below. Another configuration of layering, however, may work better for you. Half the fun of being a cook is figuring out your own style and organization of food design!
The amount of each part can vary, depending on your preference, but, I caution, do not overstuff the tortilla. The flour tortilla will crack from the strain of too much stuff. Two of mine did, but the melted cheese fills in the crack.
My order of the fixings is, from the bottom layer, up:
— Ground beef
— Corn & Ranch Bean combo
— Equal parts of the shredded cheese
— Sprinkle of green onions
— Sprinkle of the olives
Go sparingly with the green onions and olives. You don’t want to overwhelm the other flavors. You’ll also need to save a portion of each (about 1/3) for the topping.
Thinly coat the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish, one that’s preferably ceramic.
To roll the tortilla, push the stuffing toward that back of the tortilla, or toward you, and then carefully roll the tortilla away from you. Some of the stuffing may fall out from each end, but just add those bits to the next enchilada. If too many bits and pieces fall out, then you’re overstuffing the tortilla!
Once the rolled-up tortillas are safely placed in the baking dish, ladle the enchilada sauce over them to cover, but not drench them. I used to use the Las Palmas brand, but found it too caramel-ly, with a somewhat bitter aftertaste. It’s more authentic though. I prefer the more gringo flavor.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, till the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve directly, or slightly reheat later. I serve this meal with sour cream.
An extra amount of the corn-and-ranch-bean combo was left, which I’ll heat and put over rice, with some melted cheese, and those salted olives, for another meal.
The Whole Enchilada is just the beginning of good eats!