Enfrijoladas

METHOD

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.  On a 10-inch dry comal, griddle or in a cast-iron frying pan, toast the chiles until they give off their scent. Place the chiles in a bowl and pour the hot water over them.  Soak for 5 minutes.

On the same comal, toast the avocado leaves. Hold the main leaf stem of each leaf and crumble both sides of the leaf into the blender. Discard the stems. Continue until all the leaves are added.

Add the frijoles, bean broth, and chiles to the blender, and puree until smooth.

Heat the 2 teaspoons oil in an 8-inch cast-iron frying pan (or cazuela). Pour the mixture into the frying pan to heat. As it heats, don't let it dry out, as the sauce needs to be soupy.

With a warm, bendable tortilla, dip into the bean sauce carefully.

The tortillas should be submerged and completely covered with bean sauce.

Transfer to a plate, and fold first in to and then one more fold, creating a triangle with it. To serve, first garnish with crema.

Add quesillo.

Finally, add finely chopped fresh white onion.

Buen provecho!

STUFFED TORTILLAS BATHED IN BEAN SAUCE

Enfrijoladas is one of the dishes in the Oaxacan kitchen that I call a comfort food.  The rich, dense bean sauce is almost sweet, and it's one of the first foods served to children when they are young.  This version of enfrijoladas is stuffed with quesillo, then bathed with the sauce and topped with the traditional garnishes. 

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 cups Frijoles Negros de Olla, cooked and drained, water reserved

3 chiles pasillas Oaxaqueños, stemmed

2 chiles de árbol, stemmed

7 avocado leaves (hoja de aguacate)

2 cups reserved bean broth, chicken stock or water

2 teaspoons plus ½ cup sunflower or vegetable oil

16 fresh corn tortillas, 8 inches in diameter

8 ounces quesillo

1 small white onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise

8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled

½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped