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
2 cups beef broth, fresh or canned
2 cups tomato puree, canned
1/2 tsp. oregano, dried
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
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.

Picky ~JA~

"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

Jack Schidt® wrote:

> "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
>
>


I would use a handful of whole dried New Mexico chiles, and 1 or 2 ancho.
Rehydrate them, and liquify (with the soaking water) in a blender.
Meanwhile, make a medium roux using lard and flour. Add the chile paste to
the roux, and a chicken bouillon cube or two (some Mexican chicken 'n'
tomato bouillon cubes might be nice.) Adjust seasoning with garlic powder,
black pepper, and oregano. Simmer for a while. Add more water or stock if
it's too thick.

I seldom use cumin in anything that has ancho chile. I think large amounts
of cumin in Mexican recipes is often a failed attempt to get that ancho
aroma and taste. I use a *little* bit of cumin sometimes if I make chili
using only NuMex chiles.

Bob

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
>
> I seldom use cumin in anything that has ancho chile. I think large
amounts
> of cumin in Mexican recipes is often a failed attempt to get that ancho
> aroma and taste. I use a *little* bit of cumin sometimes if I make chili
> using only NuMex chiles.
>

Yeah, I always thought that a little cumin goes a long way. Now I rarely
use it except for meat rubs. Not being able to find dried NM chiles I opt
for ground Chimayo, a nice sweet NM chile. Next batch I may skip the ancho
and use the Chimayo alone.

Jack Sauced(again)

"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
> 2 cups beef broth, fresh or canned
> 2 cups tomato puree, canned
> 1/2 tsp. oregano, dried
> 1/4 tsp. cumin
> 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
> 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.


I'd skip the roux. I use guar gum as a thickener/ binder/ emulsfier. In this
case, probably two or three pinches. A little goes a long way. But first I
might weaken the taste of the tomato puree a bit more with additional broth
or water. I would also use more cumin. To get that hint of sweetness you
mention, I would add a couple slices of onion before simmering and then
remove them afterward.

Just my 2c. YMMV.

You men are wonderful, I can now see exactly where I will make
significant changes. I long ago made Mexican cooking sauces by
soaking/heating so as to end up with a puree of milder dried chile
peppers that were great, but I've forgotten what sorts of peppers to
use. I so appreciate your taking the time to instruct, and I have just
printed:

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 chicken stock works (divorce isn't yet final,
maybe)
1/2 tsp. oregano, dried
1/4+ tsp. cumin seeds, toasted, ground
1 fresh minced garlic clove
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 near to an hour....Jack Sauced
~~I would use a handful of whole dried New Mexico chiles, and 1 or 2
ancho. Rehydrate them, and liquify (with the soaking water) in a
blender. Meanwhile, make a medium roux using lard and flour. Add the
chile paste to the roux, and a chicken bouillon cube or two (some
Mexican chicken 'n' tomato bouillon cubes might be nice.) Adjust
seasoning with garlic powder, black pepper, and oregano. Simmer for a
while. Add more water or stock if it's too thick. I seldom use cumin in
anything that has ancho chile. I think large amounts of cumin in Mexican
recipes is often a failed attempt to get that ancho aroma and taste. I
use a *little* bit of cumin sometimes if I make chili using only NuMex

~~Yeah, I always thought that a little cumin goes a long way. Now I
rarely use it except for meat rubs. Not being able to find dried NM
chiles I opt for ground Chimayo, a nice sweet NM chile. Next batch I may
skip the ancho and use the Chimayo alone....Jack Sauced(again)
~~To get that hint of sweetness you mention, I would add a couple slices
of onion before simmering and then remove them afterward.
Just my 2c. YMMV....Sam D.

Picky ~JA~

Thank you for the Chimayo shopping tip, Bob. I do not want this sauce
to end up too hot for my own taste, yet I may make hotter for others.
Example being, five chilis for me might be three mid-heat and two
paprika-ish. Excellent advice offering, and very appreciated.

Picky ~JA~

Richard's ~JA~ wrote:
> Thank you for the Chimayo shopping tip, Bob [no relations]. I do not
> want this sauce to end up too hot for my own taste, yet I may make
> hotter for others. Example being, five chilis for me might be three
> mid-heat and two paprika-ish. Excellent advice offering, and very
> appreciated.
>
> Picky ~JA~
>


When I can find chimayo chile, it's pretty hot. The big mahogany colored
dried peppers of no particular variety that you can find in supermarkets in
the ethnic Mexican aisle, or on a pegboard near the produce department are
more consistantly mild-to-medium heat. Guajillo chiles are another good
choice if you find them.

Anchos are not hot at all, and are rich and slightly sweet -- not unlike
good chewing tobacco.

Good luck, and best regards,
Bob

"BubbaBob" > wrote in message
1...
> Chimayo is not necessarily a mild chile. It comes in all grades. At
> one end of the spectrum it has about as much kick as sweet paprika.
> At the other end it can be as hot as Sandia A. It depends on the
> source. I can find four different heat levels of Chimayo, labeled as
> such, in local stores.

Good point!

Jack Caliente