Red Chili Enchilada Sauce

Red Chili Enchilada Sauce

This is a bit of a teaser for what’s to come on Thursday — for simplicity sake, I wanted to break out the instructions for the sauce and another recipe (plus, there are plenty of ways to use this sauce!). And no… enchiladas are not on the docket! (Though that reminds me I should make some enchiladas soon). In any case, my lips are sealed. You’ll see Thursday’s recipe soon enough!

I first “dared” to make my own enchilada sauce while I was working in a restaurant in college. I was not the saucier, or anything close to it — more like waitress that occasionally helped with some baking - but when I was baking, I would watch the happenings of the kitchen while I slowly stirred a caramel, weighed flours, or chilled dough. It just so happened that my station was right next to the saucier, and that is what gave me the confidence to make this sauce.

Red Chili Enchilada Sauce

First, I realized that the marvelous sauce that was used for braising pork was as simple as puréeing some select ingredients in the blender — and then, I realized that said sauce was pretty darn close to enchilada sauce. I did a little bit of reading and next thing you know I was blending enchilada sauce every week (even without the blender lid on one time… but we’ll save that messy story for another time).

You can use this sauce for oh so many more things than enchiladas (though using it in these leftover turkey enchiladas is perfect). In fact, I started using it to braise beef (Oofta! That recipe is old — please forgive those grainy photos. Oh what a difference three years makes), but now I’m much more into making enchilada casseroles or huevos rancheros with salsa rojo.

Sauce is the start of many a great dish. More sauce! If any of you have ever watched Chopped, you know the judges are always talking about sauce, and with good reason. 😋

Red Chili Enchilada Sauce

Red Chili Enchilada Sauce

Published September 25, 2018 by
   Print This Recipe

Serves: 2 cups   |    Active Time: 20 minutes



Ingredients:

  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1 sixteen-oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup broth (chicken, beef or veggie)
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper

  • Directions:

    1. Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat in a skillet on the stove. When the oil glistens, add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are transparent and starting to brown. Remove from heat.
    2. In a blender (I use a Blendtec - affiliate link!), combine onions and garlic, diced tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Secure lid on blender and purée.
    3. Use sauce immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

    2 Comments

    Balsamic Butter Braised Onions

    Balsamic Butter Roasted Onions

    It rained. When the rain cleared it was really just a tease— the next wave of clouds would roll over the mountain tops and into the valley and the rain would start again. The second storm was drearier than the first and we took cover in our cars and tents, waiting hopefully for the skies to clear. 

    Balsamic Butter Roasted Onions

    After a summer of salads and gazpachos and cheese plates, this weather gave me cause to crave warmth: soup, stew, roasted veggies, tea. Hearty dishes that warm you in one bite were on my mind.  

    These braised onions go well with a side of steak, or a roasted chicken breast. They taste good folded into eggs, and pair perfectly with a rainy day. What goes in the oven as crispy and sharp comes out melted and buttery; rich and satisfying.  

    When the pitter patter on our windows started to slow, it left thoughts of warmth behind. Wet socks and cold fingers were begging for a plate of something steaming.  

    Balsamic Butter Roasted Onions
    Balsamic Butter Roasted Onions

    Balsamic Butter Braised Onions

    Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |       |    Print This Recipe

    Onions transform into an ingredient to be remembered when braised!

    Serves: 4   |    Total Time:



    Ingredients:

    • 1 onion
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1 small clove garlic
    • Salt & Pepper
    • 2 springs rosemary

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Half the onion, and remove it’s papery skin. Slice the onion into wedges.
    2. Lay the onion wedges in a single layer in a baking dish.
    3. Mince garlic. Place butter, garlic, and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted. Stir, and then drizzle mixture over onions.
    4. Sprinkle onions with rosemary, salt, & pepper. Place in over and bake for 30 minutes, or until onions are softened through and are beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

    2 Comments