Red Enchiladas Recipe Enchiladas Rojas

Steps:

• Boil the whole chicken with 1/2 onion, garlic cloves and salt in water to cover for one hour over medium heat. Let cool enough to handle. Remove chicken meat from bone and shred. (Can use left over chicken meat, or a rotisserie chicken if desired.).
• Chop the white onion and set aside. Chop the cilantro and set aside.
• Heat a little olive oil in a skillet, and quickly fry the tortillas, one at a time, until soft and pliable. You will need to add a little olive oil from time to time. Drain the tortillas on paper towels.
• Heat the salsa. One at a time, dip the soft tortilla in the salsa and place it in the baking pan (a 13x9 baking pan works well). Place a heaping spoonful each of shredded chicken and cheese in the middle of the tortilla. Add a little chopped onion and cilantro. Fold or roll the tortilla and move it to the side of the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until the pan is full. Top with the remaining salsa, sprinkle with remaining cheese, cilantro and onion.
• Bake at 350ºF until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Steps:

• THE SAUCE: Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium. Tear the chiles into flat pieces, then toast them a few at a time: Use a metal spatula to press the chile pieces flat against the hot surface, skin side up, until they are aromatic and have lightened in color underneath, about 10 seconds. (If heat is right, you'll have a slight crackle when you press them down, but you shouldn't see more than the slightest wisp of smoke.) Place in a bowl, cover with about 3 cups very hot tap water, lay a small plate on the chiles to keep them submerged and soak for 20 minutes.
• Use a pair of tongs to transfer the rehydrated chiles to a food processor or blender. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and add it to the chiles along with the garlic. Blend to a smooth puree, then push through a medium-mesh strainer into a pie plate. The consistency should be like that of canned tomato sauce. Taste (the sauce will be a little rough on the tongue at this point) and season highly with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon.
• OTHER PRELIMINARIES: Set out the grated cheese and sliced onion. If using the optional chicken, warm it in a microwave or in a small skillet over medium-low heat (for stove-top heating, you'll want to dribble in a little water to keep it from sticking).
• FINISHING THE ENCHILADAS: Heat the oven to 350°F Place the sauce and tortillas near the stove, with a baking sheet beside them. Set a small (8-inch) skillet (preferable nonstick) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil or lard. When the oil is hot, dip both sides of a tortilla into the sauce, then lay it in the oil. Let is sear and sizzle for about 20 seconds, then use a small spatula to flip it over. Sear the other side for about 20 seconds. Transfer to the baking sheet, folding it occasionally and then heating another tablespoon of oil or lard to fry a new batch. Arrange the fried, folded tortillas in groups of three, overlapping them. Pop them into the oven to heat through, about 5 minutes.
• While the enchiladas are heating, in a small bowl, toss the lettuce with the vinegar and a good sprinkling of salt.
• Divide the warm enchiladas among four dinner plates and sprinkle liberally with the grated cheese. Top with the sliced onion, chicken (if you are using it) and a generous portion of the dressed romaine. These wait for no one.