aye, chihuahua!

White Cheese and Chocolate Enchiladas

Two all-time favorites combined in one incredible dish!

An unusual pairing of chocolate and cheese is the heavenly basis for these rich, delicious enchiladas. Mexico's Chihuahua cheese is preferred; if you can't find it in your supermarket, try a Hispanic marketa if there is one in your area. This cheese (named for a region in Mexico, not the tiny dog, he he) is the perfect melting cheese for these enchiladas but in a pinch you can substitute Monterey Jack.

The sauce is similar in concept to a mole sauce. An ordinary chili powder blend works fine in the sauce, but trying adding a little ancho chile powder for an even deeper flavor.

Also, I've experimented with different chocolates, such as bittersweet (60% cacao). I didn't like the results; as you would expect, it gave the sauce a, well... bitter and odd flavor.

enchilada ingredients:

• 10 white corn tortillas
• vegetable oil for softening tortillas
• approximately 3/4 pound Chihuahua cheese (Monterey Jack may be substituted)
• 3 green onions, sliced

sauce ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 small cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 7 teaspoons unbleached flour
• 3-1/2 tablespoons chili powder blend
• 3-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate
• tiny pinch of salt

Cut cheese into sticks (a little smaller than string cheese, about the size that you could roll into a tortilla). Set aside.

Start the sauce: In a saucepan saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in oregano, cumin and cinnamon, then add flour and chili powder blend, coating the onion mixture. Slowly whisk in chicken broth; reduce until sauce thickens a little, about 30 minutes, whisking occasionally. Stir in semisweet chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside sauce.

Soften the tortillas one by one in a skillet with a bit of hot oil; this only takes a few seconds per tortilla and you will have to keep adding oil. Stack softened tortillas on a plate with paper towel between each one to absorb excess oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

When all tortillas are softened, assemble the enchiladas by rolling a cheese stick into a tortilla; place them in a rectangular baking dish seam sides down. Pour sauce over enchiladas (you may have some leftover sauce) and sprinkle with green onion slices. Loosely cover enchiladas with foil (too tightly and they steam; but the sauce can dry out when completely uncovered) and heat in the oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Sliced avocados make a perfect garnish!

Makes 4 or 5 servings.