Arnaud and I are big fans of Mexican cuisine. The fact that we lived not far from the Mexican border for two years certainly played a role in that. As easy as it is to find some enchilada sauce in any grocery store here in the US, it certainly is a different story in Belgium. So I learned to make it myself -plus it always is funnier and tastier when it is homemade! I either eat my enchiladas just like that, or along with one or a few of those sides: lettuce, homemade guacamole, sour cream, rice, or pico de gallo. You can make a vegetarian version if you substitute shredded chicken for black beans.

Makes 4 servings:

• Sauce:
  • 2 cups (500ml) chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp flour
  • 8 tsp enchilada seasoning, or a mix of the following: garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder
  • 1 can tomato puree or ground tomatoes
• Enchiladas:
  • 6 large tortillas of your choice (wheat, corn, spinach…)
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bag shredded cheese of your choice
  • About 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken (½ a whole chicken)
  • and/or 1 can black beans
  • (optional) rice, cooked
  • (optional) sour cream
  • 1 diced tomato, to decorate
  • Chopped cilantro, to decorate

Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a saucepan (medium high heat), add flour and stir for about 1′. Stir in spices, then slowly add the warm broth while constantly stirring, until sauce thickens. Add tomato puree, mix, then add some salt if needed. Store in a jar or an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

Make enchiladas: Thinly slice the onion and bell peppers, and sauté them in a skillet. Assemble the enchiladas: begin by spreading a thin layer of sauce over a tortilla, then add the following ingredients in a line: shredded cheese, shredded chicken and/or black beans, bell pepper and onion slices. You can also add some rice (or eat it as a side), and a few tsp of sour cream in your enchiladas for a creamier version. Roll up the tortilla, then place in a large baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. When all done, pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, sprinkle some shredded cheese and add some diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro as a decoration. Bake in the preheated oven (200-220°C/390-420°F) for 10′-15′. Serve with sides of your choice.