Enchiladas Potosinas (Masa Teñida de Rojo)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Cast iron comal or heavy steel comal
• •Tortilla press lined with clean plastic
• •High-powered blender
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Wide heavy skillet for frying in manteca
• •Brown paper or wire rack for draining

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the ancho

   Heat a dry comal over medium. Toast the chile ancho one or two at a time, about 15 to 20 seconds per side, pressing them flat with a spatula just until the skin softens, darkens slightly, and smells like raisins and warm tobacco. Do not blacken them. Burned chile makes bitter masa, and no amount of queso fresco will save it.

   Good chile ancho bends a little and smells sweet. If it cracks like old paper and smells dusty, your masa will taste tired. Pregúntale a las señoras del mercado.
2. 2

   Soak and blend

   Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water, not boiling water. Let them soften for 20 minutes. Drain them, then blend with the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 cup warm water until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on the skins. You should have a thick, deep red paste. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this paste for the filling.

3. 3

   Tint the masa

   Place the fresh masa in a wide bowl. Add the remaining chile paste, the softened tablespoon of manteca de cerdo, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Knead with your hands for 5 to 7 minutes until the color is even from edge to center. The masa should feel soft and pliable, like the lobe of your ear. If it cracks when pressed, sprinkle in warm water one tablespoon at a time. The red belongs inside the masa. That is what makes it potosina.

4. 4

   Mix the filling

   In a bowl, combine the crumbled queso fresco, finely chopped white onion, dried Mexican oregano, and the reserved 2 tablespoons of chile ancho paste. Mix with your fingers until the cheese is lightly stained and the onion is evenly distributed. Taste before adding salt. Queso fresco varies, and a careful cook does not salt blindly.

5. 5

   Press the tortillas

   Line a tortilla press with two pieces of plastic cut from a clean produce bag. Divide the red masa into 24 balls, each about the size of a small golf ball. Press one ball into a tortilla about 4 inches wide. Keep the remaining masa covered with a damp towel so it does not dry while you work.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Place 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling slightly off center on the tortilla. Fold it into a half-moon and press the edges firmly to seal. Do not overfill. A fat enchilada tears, leaks cheese, and tells everyone you were impatient. Set the filled enchiladas under a damp towel while you shape the rest.

7. 7

   Seal on comal

   Heat the comal over medium. Cook the filled enchiladas in batches, about 45 to 60 seconds per side, until the masa loses its wet shine, the edges seal, and a few darker red spots appear. This is not the final frying. This step sets the shape so the filling stays inside when it meets the manteca. No me vengas con atajos.

8. 8

   Blend the salsa

   While the sealed enchiladas rest, blend the tomatillos, chile serrano, cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped white onion, lime juice, and a pinch of salt until coarse and bright green. Taste it. It should be sharp enough to cut the richness of the fried masa. Keep it on the side, not poured like a casserole sauce.

9. 9

   Fry in manteca

   Melt the 2 cups manteca de cerdo in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. You want about 1/2 inch of hot fat. Fry the comal-sealed enchiladas in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until the edges turn crisp and the red masa deepens in color. Drain on a rack or brown paper. La manteca es el sabor. Vegetable oil will fry them, yes, but it will not give you the same flavor.

10. 10

    Serve potosino

    Pile the enchiladas on a brown-glazed clay platter while the edges are still crisp. Spoon a little crema Mexicana over the top, scatter with crumbled queso fresco, and serve the salsa verde and avocado at the table. Three or four per person is normal. More if the table is honest. Recetas probadas y garantizadas.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh nixtamalized masa from a tortillería is the first choice. Masa harina works only when you cannot get fresh masa. It is a compromise, not an upgrade, because it lacks the same aroma from the molino.
• •Do not confuse these with enchiladas mineras or enchiladas queretanas. Mineras are guajillo-fried tortillas with papa, zanahoria, chicken, and chiles en escabeche. Queretanas are sauced with jitomate and guajillo and served with a bone-in chicken piece. Potosinas put chile ancho into the masa. Así se hace y punto.
• •Use rendered manteca de cerdo from a carnicería if you can. The hydrogenated white bricks from the supermarket are flat and waxy. Ask the butcher. If you don't know the market, you don't know the kitchen.
• •If the edges crack when you fold, the masa is dry. Add warm water, knead again, and keep it covered. If the cheese leaks during frying, you overfilled or you skipped the comal seal.
• •Chile ancho gives sweetness, color, and depth. It is not there to punish the mouth. The dish should taste like corn, chile, cheese, and lard in balance.

Advance Preparation

• •The chile ancho paste can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered jar. Stir before using because the solids settle.
• •The cheese filling can be mixed 1 day ahead. Keep it covered and cold, then let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before filling so it does not stiffen the masa.
• •The enchiladas can be shaped and sealed on the comal up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate them in a single layer with parchment between layers, then fry in manteca just before serving.
• •Fully fried enchiladas are best the same day. To revive leftovers, heat them on a comal or in a 375F oven until the edges firm again. Do not microwave them unless you enjoy ruining good work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 335g)