Moscow Food Co-op Recipes

Bean Enchiladas

by Jen Hirt, from the October 2003 newsletter

The word enchilada is one of those neat nouns that used to be a verb. It comes from the Spanish enchilar, meaning to season with (or in) chili powder. That would make a lot of meals enchilada-ish in nature – chili, tacos, soup. But when the word started appearing in written text at the end of the nineteenth century, it usually referred to a tortilla served with a chili-rich sauce, rather than the act of seasoning with chili powder. Nowadays, the delicious enchiladas offered everywhere (from a Co-op deli lunch to a late-night snack courtesy of Patty’s) aren’t just plain tortillas and sauce – they have a tasty filling.

While I readily admit that cheese enchiladas are my guilty pleasure, here’s my bean version – plenty of protein and very little fat or cholesterol, if you opt for the vegan version. I’ve included options for a fast version (reliant on the mighty convenience of canned beans) or a nearly-from-scratch version (the pure bean, untainted). I’ve also eliminated the usual pre-frying of the corn tortillas. Simple and satisfying, this recipe serves three or four as a main dish.

Enchiladas

A package of corn tortillas
A 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce
1 cup salsa of any style, from green to chipolte
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt

1 cup dry kidney beans
or
1 15 oz can kidney beans

1 cup sharp cheddar
or
1 cup of finely minced green pepper

If you are using dry kidney beans, they need to soak for 6-8 hours. Sort the beans to remove any pebbles or debris. Rinse the beans and soak them overnight in 3 cups of water. Next, boil them in 3 cups water for 45 minutes to an hour, until the beans are soft. When you are ready to assemble the enchiladas, preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, mash the kidney beans into the salsa until the mix becomes a paste. If you are using canned beans, rinse them well before mashing to reduce the salt. Stir in the jalapeno and the seasonings. Set aside.

Grate the sharp cheddar, or mince the green pepper for a vegan version. Set aside. Prepare a shallow baking dish by coating it lightly with some enchilada sauce. Next, you have to heat the corn tortillas to make them flexible. I warm my cast iron skillet over medium heat, then heat each tortilla for about ten seconds in the dry skillet. Other recipes require frying the tortillas to give them a crispy bite, but I’m willing to forgo crisp for less fat and fewer calories. Keep the tortillas warm between clean towels.

Drop a couple spoonfuls of filling and about a tablespoon of cheese or green pepper in the middle of each tortilla. Use the back of the spoon to spread the filling. It is best to underestimate the filling, rather than run out with three tortillas to go, so be conservative. Gently roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. If the tortilla cracks despite the preheating, don’t worry – by the time they cook, smothered in sauce, no one will notice. If they do notice, tease them for being an enchilada critic. If there is extra filling, fill the spaces between enchiladas. Drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce all over. Sprinkle with any extra cheese or green pepper.

Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. The dish is done when the middle enchilada is hot all the way through.

Serve as is or garnish with sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, or sprigs of fresh cilantro.

Jen Hirt is an MFA student in creative writing at the University of Idaho. She's working on a collection of essays about greenhouses.

Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes, and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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