Authentic Mexican Dishes

First of all, I got this recipe from my friend April.  Her husband is Mexican and she learned how to make this from his grandmother so it is VERY authentic!  Craig's fav is Mexican food and since he won't be seeing anything like it in Peru for the next few months I decided to learn how to make it for him.  Some of the ingredients will need to be purchased from a Mexican market.

Enchiladas:

2 cups home made Red Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil or fat
1/4 of an onion/ diced
1 small bag white corn tortillas (32 - 36)
2 lbs. Mexican made Asadero cheese/ grated

Heat oil over stove top on medium/high heat in a large frying pan.  Slightly fry corn tortillas on each side.  Place them on a plate and cover with a paper towel so they don't dry out.  Fry all of the tortillas in the bag and place them on top of each other with a paper towel in between.  Dip the tortillas into the Red Enchilada Sauce and fill with cheese and onion.  Roll up and place in a 13x9 pan.  Continue dipping and filling tortillas until your pan is full - make sure they are squeezed tightly together.  Top with lots of cheese and the remainder of the Red Enchilada Sauce.  Cover with plastic wrap and heat on high in microwave for 5min or until cheese is melted.  They can be baked in the oven as well but they tend to dry out that way.  Serve.

Red Enchilada Sauce
(makes 3 batches)

6 Pasilla Ancho Chile pods
6 New Mexico Chile pods
6 California Chile pods
6 Mulato Chile pods
4 Laurel leaves (bay leaves)
6 cloves of garlic
1T salt
2T vegetable oil or fat

Wearing a plastic glove, de-stem and de-seed all of the chile pods.  Boil water and add all of the ingredients.  Cover and boil until the chile pods are all soft.  This will take 35-45 min.  Take water from pot and fill blender half way.  Add softened chiles, garlic, and laurel leaves.  Blend until smooth.  Add oil to large frying pan or pot and heat on medium- high.  Pour enchilada sauce through a strainer into the oil.  Simmer on stove to thicken.  Add salt to taste.  Distribute 2 cups each into freezer safe containers.  They can freeze for months.  When you are ready to use it take it out of the freezer and de - thaw it in a pot of cold water for a few hours.

Spanish Rice

1 tomato
1/4 onion/ minced
2 garlic cloves/ minced
2 cups uncooked rice
4 cups water
1T oil
3 tsp. tomato bouillon

Saute minced onion & garlic.  Add rice and let it brown.  Add tomatoes and water.  Let it come to a boil.  Add bouillon and stir.  Cover rice and put on lower heat.  Simmer 20 min or until water evaporates.  Optional garnish of chopped cilantro.

Fresh Salsa (Brammer Recipe)

4 Roma ttomatoes/ diced
1/3 onion/ diced
2 garlic cloves/ minced
2 T vinegar
1 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
chopped cilantro to taste

Chop all produce into tiny pieces, add other ingredients, mix, and enjoy.