Enfrijoladas Rústicas de Queso y Crema
Desayuno & Almuerzo – The Morning Bridge
Drag the corn tortilla through the hot cast-iron skillet, flip it once, let the purée splatter across the stove. This is not a poor man's enchilada. While standard enchiladas rely on complex chile sauces, enfrijoladas draw their rich, savory depth from a 15-ounce can of pinto beans. To make it work on a Tuesday night, utilize the starchy liquid from the can, bloom the puree in hot lard, and briefly sear the tortillas in oil so they yield rather than disintegrate. Fold them quickly, drown them in supermarket crema, and eat them before the tortillas lose their bite.
Before you start
Deflame the garnish onions.
Submerge the thinly sliced red onions in a small bowl of cold water with a heavy pinch of salt, leaving them to soak while you work. This Oaxacan trick strips the harsh, sulfurous bite from the raw allium, leaving a crisp, sweet crunch that won't bully the delicate beans.
Ingredients
- canned black beans30 oz
- canned chipotle peppers in adobo2 med
- adobo sauce1 tbsp
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic cloves2 med
- low-sodium chicken broth1/2 cup
- ground cumin1/4 tsp
- ground fennel seed1/8 tsp
- lard or vegetable oil2 tbsp
- corn tortillas12 med
- neutral vegetable oil1/3 cup
- Oaxaca or low-moisture mozzarella cheese1 1/2 cup
- Crema Mexicana1/2 cup
- Queso Fresco1/2 cup
- red onion1/4 med
- fresh cilantro leaves1/4 cup
- ripe avocado1 med
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Blend the bean sauce.
Dump the entire contents of the black bean cans into a blender. Do not drain that starchy liquid; it is the absolute backbone of the sauce's velvet texture. Add the chopped chipotles, adobo sauce, chopped white onion, garlic, cumin, fennel seed, and salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, adding a splash of the chicken broth only if the machine struggles to catch.
- 02
Fry the puree to build flavor.
Heat the lard or oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Carefully pour the blended bean puree into the hot fat. It will sputter and hiss aggressively. This is the Maillard reaction building deep, roasted flavor. Drop the heat to a gentle simmer and stir continuously for about five minutes until the sauce deepens in color and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Keep it warm on your lowest setting.
- 03
Seal the tortillas.
In a separate frying pan, heat the third-cup of neutral vegetable oil over medium-high until a torn piece of tortilla sizzles instantly on contact. Using tongs, pass each tortilla through the hot oil for ten to fifteen seconds per side. You want them pliable and slightly blistered, not hard and shattered. Drain on paper towels. If you skip this lipid barrier, your enfrijoladas will disintegrate into mush on contact with the wet sauce.
- 04
Assemble the enfrijoladas on the stovetop.
Working one at a time, use your tongs to submerge a fried tortilla directly into the simmering bean sauce, ensuring both sides are fully coated. Transfer the drenched tortilla to a serving plate. Place a generous pinch of the shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese slightly off-center, then fold the tortilla over in half. Repeat this process until you have two or three folded enfrijoladas per plate.
- 05
Crown and serve immediately.
Spoon an extra ladle of the hot, earthy bean sauce over the top of the folded tortillas. The ambient heat will perfectly melt the cheese inside. Drain your soaking red onions. Garnish the plates heavily with drizzles of crema, the crumbled Queso Fresco, a handful of the deflamed onions, fresh cilantro leaves, and slices of avocado.
From Cook Mexican in America.