Veracruz Enchiladas: A Cultural Synthesis with a Touch of Perfection

The Veracruz enchiladas recipe is famous in the Southeast region. Originally, the dish is made with raisins. Some make enchiladas with only savory ingredients and they are always a hit. Add the roasted tomato. The richness of it all is to see how everyone adds a personal touch. Veracruz enchiladas are a cultural synthesis, as much as a mole, although with fewer ingredients and complexity of preparation, of course.

Veracruz Enchiladas

3 persons, 45 min

Ingredients

Filling:

1 kg of cooked beef brisket
2 chopped tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
¼ onion, finely chopped
Olives and capers chopped to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

250 grams ancho chile
1 roasted tomato
¼ onion
2 cloves garlic
Half a teaspoon of dried oregano
1 cinnamon stick
4 black peppers
3 cloves
Tortillas (half a kilo)
Oil for frying
Cotija cheese

Preparation

Shred and finely chop the cooked brisket (it can be done with a knife or with a food processor). Fry the garlic, tomato, onion, olives, and capers previously chopped. Add the meat and let the flavors integrate until the mixture dries sufficiently (15 to 20 min).

To make the sauce, it is necessary to roast the cleaned ancho chiles and soak them in hot water. Roast the garlic, onion, and tomato. Toast the cinnamon, pepper, cloves, and oregano in a small frying pan or griddle very quickly and remove from the heat. The latter should be ground, preferably in a mortar or molcajete.

In a blender grind the hydrated chiles, tomato, roasted garlic, and onion. Add the mixture of toasted and ground spices. Water or meat cooking broth can be added to make the sauce lighter. It is necessary to fry the sauce with very little oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and let it season for about 15 minutes.

To assemble the dish, the tortillas are passed through very hot oil, filled with the meat, and bathed with the sauce. Garnish with Cotija cheese and fresh onion.

Recipe by Sara Gabriela Baz Sánchez