Enchiladas Encantador

Enchiladas Encantador 

These enchiladas use no cheese or meat -  but even carnivores will not miss them! The flavor is well-balanced, and they are very satisfying and delicious - even enchanting!

Makes 36-38 enchiladas – use 2 half-sheet baking dishes. Can also use 3-4 cookie sheets with a 1inch edge, but be careful not to overcrowd them, and watch the sauce.

36-38 corn tortillas

1 cup olive oil

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke a little. Grab two tortillas by the very edge, and carefully lay them into the hot oil, bending just enough to keep your fingers safe. Hold only for a second, until they soften and maybe start to bubble a bit, then raise and flip tortilla, dipping the other side for second. Lay in another pan to cool until the other components are ready. Repeat until all tortillas are softened. You can do the tortillas one at a time, but they will absorb more oil than is necessary.

Sauce:

3/4 cup olive oil

8  tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup ancho chile powder (or other variety to your liking)

1 quart canned tomatoes  or tomato puree (home-canned is great) can sub 29-ounce can

1 quart water

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup fresh lime juice (you can also sprinkle juice on the finished enchiladas, with salt, if you prefer)

Salt to taste – it is great without the salt

In a saucepan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add flour, baking powder and chili powder, and stir out any lumps. Cook for a minute until the mixture is bubbling, then add canned tomatoe. Blend with a hand blender if not using puree, adding seasonings, and 2/3 of the water. Mix thoroughly, bringing to a boil.   Add a little more water, to the consistency you like.Add chocolate chips, and stir until they are completely melted into the mixture. Add lime juice and mix well. This recipe will make plenty for the batch, with about 2 cups left to serve with the finished enchiladas.

 Filling:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can large olives, rinsed, drained & chopped to less than half inch

1 white onion, grated or chopped very finely

1-1/2 cups of finely chopped cilantro stems (leaves would be ok, but stems are better)

1-1/2 cups raw hulled sunflower seeds

6 large Crimini mushrooms, chopped finely

3 cups shredded butternut squash or other fine-grained pumpkin or squash

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2/3 cup chickpea omelet mix (see here)

Chop and mix all ingedients, mixing thoroughly.

Assembly:

Place about 1/3 cup of filling on a prepared tortilla. Roll up carefully and place, seam side down, in a dish sprayed with cooking spray. Rolled tortillas should just touch in a baking dish, or be spaced ¼-1/2 inch apart on a cookie sheet. When the sheet is full, dip sauce enough to cover all of the exposed tortilla.

Bake at 350 degrees until the enchiladas are thoroughly cooked, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges and between the individual tortillas, about 30 minutes. Serve plain, with salt and lime juice, or with a guacamole sauce. Serve a party or save for later; these will freeze well.