Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

Step 1

Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the Ancho/Guajillo chiles, then de-stem and de-seed them. Roast the chile pieces in the oven at 400F for 1-2 minutes. Once roasted you can add the chile pieces to a bowl, cover them with hot tap water, and let them reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can always put a small plate or bowl on top to keep them submerged.

Step 2

Rinse and de-stem the tomatoes. Roast them in the oven (400F) for 20-30 minutes or until you need them.

Step 3

Note: I had leftover cooked rice in the fridge for this batch, but if you need to cook the rice then now is the perfect time to start it! Add a glug of oil to a saucepan over medium heat along with 1 cup uncooked rice. Stir regularly until the rice is starting to turn light brown. Add 2 cups of water (or stock) along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring up to a boil then turn down heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook until all of the water is absorbed. Once cooked you can set it aside on the stove, covered, until you need it.

Step 4

Roughly chop an onion and add it to a skillet along with a glug of oil. Add 3 whole, peeled garlic cloves and cook over medium heat until the onion is starting to brown, stirring regularly.

Step 5

Note: before draining the dried chiles you can take a taste of their soaking liquid. If you like the flavor you are welcome to use it in place of stock for the sauce. If, like me, you think it tastes bitter then it's best to use stock for your enchilada sauces. More info on tasting the dried chiles' soaking liquid.

Step 6

Drain the dried chiles. Add the drained chiles, the roasted tomatoes, the onion-garlic mixture, and 2 cups of stock to a blender. Blend until smooth. You can optionally strain the blender sauce through a fine mesh sieve and discard the leftover seeds and skin, but lately I skip this step. If you like your enchilada sauce thinner, simply add another cup of liquid to the blender before combining.

Step 7

Add the enchilada sauce back to the same pan that cooked the onion-garlic mixture. Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Cook over medium heat, bringing it up to a simmer.

Step 8

And now the most important part: a final taste for seasoning! The cumin and Mexican oregano can really impact the final flavor of the sauce so feel free to add more. I added another generous pinch of Mexican oregano and salt to this batch. Once you like the flavor turn the heat down to low to keep the sauce warm.

Step 9

Warm up the corn tortillas in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or cover them with a damp paper towel and nuke them in the microwave for 60 seconds.

Step 10

Shred a couple cups worth of melting cheese (I used Jack).

Step 11

Combine 2 cups cooked beans (or 1 can) and 2 cups cooked rice in a mixing bowl. When using a can of beans I usually drain and rinse first. I also finely chopped 2-3 tablespoons of both onion and jalapeno for this inner mixture, but that is optional.

Step 12

Add a thin layer of the enchilada sauce to your baking dish to prevent sticking. Add a few tablespoons of the bean-rice mixture to each tortilla, along with plenty of shredded cheese. Roll tight and set them seam side down on the baking dish. If it feels like they won't stay rolled you can usually prop them up against each other to keep 'em snug.

Step 13

You should have plenty of enchilada sauce so feel free to goop it all over the top of your rolled enchiladas. You can optionally add another layer of cheese on top. Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes.

Step 14

Once cooked, top with your choice of garnish and serve immediately -- I topped with Cotija cheese and freshly chopped cilantro.

Step 15

If you have leftover bean-rice mixture and enchilada sauce, both will keep in the fridge for a few days, allowing for a future quick meal!