"Richard's ~JA~" > wrote in message
...
> I do not at all care for the too strong flavoring of just a canned
> enchilada sauce, so I have watered these down with beef or chicken broth
> in the past. What I am hoping for is a milder flavor, darkness with
> depth, and merely a hint of sweetness. Would this recipe suffice, or
> how may it be improved?
>
> ENCHILADA SAUCE
> 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
> 2 Tbsp. flour
> 1/4 cup red chile powder, mild

Use ground Chimayo or Ancho, or both here. They're both mild and the flavor
improvement would be worth it. If you aren't in a hurry, grab some dried
ancho chiles, remove stems and seeds and rehydrate them, and then puree
them. Well worth the extra effort.

> 2 cups beef broth, fresh or canned
> 2 cups tomato puree, canned

Try skipping the tomato, unless you're really married to including it; make
up the volume in stock/broth. Chicken stock works well for this too.

> 1/2 tsp. oregano, dried
> 1/4 tsp. cumin

I think you'll find cumin to be a variable for you. If you use it, I'd
recommend toasting whole seeds in a dry skillet and then grind them to
powder with a mortar and pestle.

> 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

Fresh minced is way better, but granulated will do.

> 1 tsp. salt (to taste)
> Heat oil in large saucepan; add flour to make a roux. Stir and cook
> over medium heat for 2 minutes until browned. Add the rest to the roux;
> simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

15 min may be a bit short of a time for the sauce to simmmer, but may work
with a small batch, just so long as it's not watery.

Jack Sauced