Pork, Pepper & Chipotle Enchiladas with Lime Chilli Salad and Oakham Citra



Good  Mexican food, as with most of my favourite cuisine, is a balancing act of rich, hot, sour, and salty flavours. Enchiladas are a personal favourite but you have got to have something crunchy, fresh, punchy and vibrant to contrast all that richly spicy tomato sauce, succulent meat and bubbling cheese.

In this recipe that contrast is provided by two things: Firstly, the citrussy sweet hoppyness of the excellent Oakham Citra, and secondly a sort of lime and chilli laced coleslaw scrawled in my recipe notebook as 'Mexican Salad'.

I make my enchiladas with whatever pork is available (and adjust the initial bubbling time to suit) along with kidney beans, peppers and onions, but you could just as easily use chicken or beef and add or subtract whatever veg you fancy. The only bit which needs measurements is the Mexican red sauce used to bind the whole thing together, and to top the bubbling tray of rolled up tortilla parcels. The below will make enough sauce to make enough enchiladas to fill a large lasagne dish (which will serve 4 hungry people).

Enchilada Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 White onion (finely chopped)
  • 4 Cloves of garlic (crushed)
  • 1 Fresh Red Chilli (finely chopped)
  • 1 Tin chopped tomatoes
  • 200ml water
  • 1 Tsp Tomato puree
  • 3 Tsp Chipotle Tabasco
  • 1/2 Tsp Sweet Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp (regular) Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Chilli powder
  • 2 Tsp Ground Cumin


How to make it!

Directions couldn't be easier. Fry your onion until soft, add the garlic, fresh chilli, and tomato puree and fry for a few more mins before adding all the other ingredients and simmering on a low heat uncovered for 20-30mins until thick rich and spicy. I usually give mine a blend or mash with a potato masher to ensure the sauce is smooth and thick rather than lumpy.

Season to taste before tipping around 2/3 over your stir fried meat and veg along with a good handful of strong cheddar, then spoon into corn tortillas and roll into enchiladas, arrange in a lasagne dish before topping with the remaining sauce and some more cheese. 



To serve

I serve my enchiladas with a sour and spicy salad of carrot, white cabbage, red onion and coriander dressed in loads of lime juice, chilli and a drizzle of olive oil. Hot, zesty and crunchy it is a great counterpoint to the rich cheesy enchiladas.

Oh and a nice big glass of Oakham Citra too! Lemon, mango and passionfruit with a light body and a hint of sweetness it works amazingly well with the salad and acts as a contrast and cleanser to the enchiladas.

Enjoy!



2 comments:

  1. nice combo neil, can totally imagine that working. Oakham Citra's my favourite Citra-based session beer, actually.

    ReplyDelete
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