Enchiladas: Stacked or rolled?

I see some dumb recipes from shill sites with suggestions to buy one brand or another (Ortega, etc), and I'm surprised to see some of these not even go into the question of quickly frying the corn tortillas. Is this something you can get away with when making stacked units? Because I sure don't think you can with the rolled guys.
I tried some rolled ones a while back, and that is a mess. You have to use your fingers, after the tortilla has been dipped in the sauce. But, I can see how the stacked guys could be handled with tongs, si?
Also, I think the layering would allow better control over who wants what in theirs. I'll try some soon.
-Scott Lindgren

I have stopped making rolled enchiladas. I much prefer the New Mexico stacked enchiladas for several reasons, one of the main ones being that you don't have to fry the torillas. I just dip them in warm sauce before I lay them in the dish. Definitely healthier. I also like being able to use more filling as well as plenty of extra cheese. And I actually like the presentation better. I make about 3 layers each of tortilla, filling and cheese. Seving it like lasagna, it holds together nicely.

Bob likes when I roll them-frankly, I dont eat my own enchiladas.He likes them,the family likes them;I dont.Prefer a corn tortilla and home made gravy.

Yeah, Ed, I'd hate to be the the prep guy at El Torito, or anywhere else. I suppose they must wear gloves, I can't see any kind of way not to get sauce all over your fingers on the rolled units. Even then, the tortilla is gonna wanna fight back, which just will not happen with the stacked idea. I only started reading about this New Mexico gag in the last year or so, never seen them in Dallas or LA. Although I don't care about the health question... If I like them fried a little, I'll do it. Now... I need to work on that chili gravy recipe... and use taco beef.
I do have a couple that sound good, I am trying to avoid any enchilada sauce with a hint of tomato. I will sometimes put up with a green sauce, in a cheese enchilada, but the red is out for me. No, I want to try stacked with beef, a brown beefy sauce, with lots of garlic and cumin in there, and maybe even Velveeta! YES!
Somebody asked for a good cheese enchilada recipe, you've heard my thoughts here, but here is one thing I would say about the milder green sauces. We all know that dairy is the method to take the edge off things when you've gone overboard with the habaneros, etc. What I'll do is get the really hot stuff on board, then cool off a little with a bite of cheese enchilada with sour cream. It's a balancing act. Sometimes a nearby glass of milk is also a good idea. A lactose fire extinguisher.
-Scott Lindgren

I have always rolled my tortillas for homemade enchiladas. I heat a small pan with oil and quickly dip the shells one at a time in the hot oil untiled heated through on both sides. I stack them on a plate and then I assemble one at a time. I have made at times over 100 but for the immediate family I fix around 24 to 30 as I love them warmed up.

I put a dallop of my meat mixture (spices, hamburger meat and tomato sacue) on each totillas, then a dallop of cheese and then a dallop of chopped onion. I then roll and lay in a cassarole dish. Then I take the left over meat mixture, cheese and onion and put on top. Bake in a 350 deg. oven until warmed and bubbly.

Yes, the tortillas are pretty warm when rolling but I have done it so long (at least 35 years) that it doesn't bother me.

Enchiladas are my son's fav. food for me to make and now my grandkids beg me to make them.

I'm lazy. I just make an enchilada casserole.

Sassy hit the nail on the head, as usual.

Salin, do your steamed taco meat deal and then make chili out of it. Then top your enchiladas w/ it.

I rolled 500 cheese enchiladas at a time when I worked at El Chico. Then I would eat a dozen of those babys.

A stacked casserole works to. Not sure you would call that enchiladas but... who cares. A stacked enchilada works I guess.

A friend of mine makes a real good chicken casserole. She heats flour tortillas in chiken broth and then stacks everything. Not sure what you could call that? You can't make an enchilada w/ a flour tortilla, or??? I guess if you cook it, then you can call it whatever you want!
Joe

I rarely make them just for myself.I usually buy El Chico tv dinners if I want some. However,I take my corn tortillas and wrap them in damp paper toweling and heat them for a minute or so in the microwave,till they are soft and can be rolled.I them dip them in sauce,add cheese and roll. This is good as I can't eat alot of greasy foods and am watching my weight.
I just eat enchiladas mainly when I feel the urge and as i say just get the tv dinners.

Sour cream chicken enchiladas...rolled.

That's funny that El Chico comes up twice here. Fresh & frozen. I'll have to try an EC next time I'm in Dallas. As for the frozen... We don't have those here in LA, but I've been buying the Banquet frozen products lately, both beef and cheese enchiladas, 4 for $5. I get them half way heated up, then I improve them with extra cheese, salsa, roasted serranos, green onion. They are not bad, and darned convenient.
-SL

Lee, one of my fav kinds of enchilada. How about your recipe? I am not happy with the way I make them.

Salin, I didn't recamend El Chico. I just used to work there. El Chico once made what I thought was the best cheese enchilada. That is not the case now. They changed the cheese. Maybe someday the will come back? Till then, El Fenix is my pick. The origional location near the West End in Dallas makes them just like they did 50 yrs. ago.

About the frozen things... fixed up kinda like Salin said makes them all pretty good. My pick though is Patio beef, 4 to a carton for a buck at my stores. I put extra sharp cheddar, sliced pickled jalapenos and some of the juice, after they are almost done, just enough to melt the cheese good. Oh, Salin, your from Texas and should eat more jalapenos! They make almost everything better I think.

Speaking of pickled jalapenos, La Costeno is my very favorite brand. I find a big difference in the taste of different brands of these tasty babys. They come in a can and I just use a Rubbermaid container to store them in. I have whole and sliced in the fridge. I use the juice for all kinds of stuff.
Joe

Stacked in Southern NM. Rolled would be heresy.

Northern, too. Let's not forget Blue Corn Enchiladas (stacked)

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Northern, too. Let's not forget Blue Corn Enchiladas (stacked)

My favorite from The Shed! Stacked blue corn cheese enchiladas with green sauce and a nice glass of sangria!

To PJ8: I'll only check out EC if I've had my fill of Ojeda's, next time I'm in Dallas. I was not all that happy with El Fenix, and Herrera's is not what it used to be. With regard to jalapenos... Yes, there sure are big differences in brands of canned or jarred units. I got a big jar of a brand I hated so much I threw it away. Weird, sweet and sour flavor, MONTECITO. Ugh. When I got started fooling around with serranos, I was timid, and only bought like 3 or 4, for roasting, now I just put handfuls in the bag. They are almost free ($.99/lb). Habaneros are a little more troublesome. Use 'em or lose 'em, they start turning black within a couple of days, and don't roast very easily. But the serranos hold up well in the fridge, and roast like a charm.
-Scott Lindgren