Classic Red Enchiladas

[Saladbowl]

Classic Red Enchiladas

3 tablespoons olive oil
5 onions, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tablespoons dried oregano
3 cups Red Chile Sauce
10 flour tortillas, homemade or the thinnest you can find
6 cups grated medium-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup pitted black olives or home-cured olives

DIRECTIONS:

Oil two long rectangular baking dishes to hold 5 huge enchiladas each.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute slowly over low
heat, stirring frequently until softened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste
with salt, pepper and oregano.

Spoon 1 cup of the sauce onto a wide dinner plate; dip both sides of a
tortilla in the sauce. Place 1/2 cup grated cheese, two olives, and 1/3 cup
sauteed onions down the middle of the tortilla. Fold each side of the
tortilla over the filling. Place the enchilada, folded side down, in the
baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more sauce to the plate
as needed. Pour 1/2 cup more sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the
remaining cheese in a strip down the middle. Decorate with any remaining
olives. Cover the pans and refrigerate until ready to bake.


Red Chile Sauce

18 dried California or New Mexican chiles, or a combination of both
2 ancho chiles
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons pure olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup water, to thin sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the chiles under cold running water. Use scissors to cut off the stems
and cut the chiles in half. Shake out the seeds onto a paper towel. Put the
seeds in your garden for the birds. Place the chiles and garlic in the top
half of a steamer over simmering water. Steam for 25 minutes.

Remove chiles from the heat. Place one-third of the chiles in a blender with
1/2 cup water, and puree until smooth. Pour the puree into a wire strainer
nested over a large bowl. Continue pureeing the rest of the chiles, the
garlic, and more water, in batches. Push all the chile puree through the
strainer using a spatula or wooden spoon. Be sure to scrape off the chile
puree clinging to the bottom of the strainer. Pour 1 cup water into the
blender and turn it on to help clean the blades. Pour this chile water
through the strainer to catch the last bit of goodness. You should have
about 3 1/2 cups chile puree.