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Dinner Tonight: Enfrijoladas

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, May 11, 2009 at 4:45 PM

Much like the fantastic chilaquiles I had from a couple months ago, enfrijoladas are tortillas dipped into a sauce and then garnished with all kind of fresh ingredients. The biggest difference is that instead of dipping the tortillas in a chile based sauce, these are dunked in a velvety bean sauce. It's more comforting and warming, and nearly as good. There aren't many recipes out there for enfrijoladas, but that's okay. This one from the San Francisco Chronicle is right on.

Don't skip on frying the tortillas. It's crucial. If you don't the tortillas will disintegrate in the bean sauce and turn to mush. Frying keeps them sturdy.

All the garnishes are negotiable. I picked cheese and canned jalapeños. But some cilantro, diced avocado, or even a little cabbage would work. It's up to you. As for hot sauce, the article has a great recipe that doesn't really take much time. If you have the time, about an extra 20 minutes, you should check that recipe out. Otherwise, use that bottled hanging out in your fridge door.

Enfrijoladas
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
28 ounce can black beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup diced onion
2 canned jalapeños, stemmed and chopped
liquid from the can of jalapeños
Canola oil
12 corn tortillas
1 1/4 cups ham, diced
6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
hot sauce to taste
salt

Procedure:
1. Dump the beans and their liquid into a blender along with 1/2 cup water. Puree until smooth.
2. Pour 2 tablespoon of the olive oil into a large skillet set over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of the onions and cook for 4 minutes. When soft, pour in the pureed beans along with a tablespoon or so of the liquid from the canned jalapeños. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, pour a thin layer of Canola oil into another skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot add a tortilla and cook for 20 seconds, flip and cook for 20 seconds more. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the other tortillas. You made need to add more Canola oil after every third or forth one. Cover the tortillas with foil.
4. Wipe out any canola oil left in the skillet, and then pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-high and then add the rest of the onions. Cook for 2 minutes or so, and then add the diced ham. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and set aside.
5. Now it's time to construct. Toss a tortilla into the bean mixture, flip it with a pair of tongs onto it's other side. It should be well coated. Add a heaping spoonful of the ham and onion mixture. Fold the tortilla in half, and remove with the tongs. Set aside while you construct the rest.
6. Top the enfrijoladas with a sprinkling of queso fresco, the chopped jalapenos, and some hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.

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