Enchiladas en Salsa Roja
Today kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month. From September 15 to October 15 Hispanics celebrate their history, culture, life, family, and future. Naturally when I celebrate this holiday I think of the food. My heritage, past and future all tie into plates, dishes and steamy bowls of wonderful comida cooked by my grandparents, mother and family. Food is an extension of culture, an extension of a family’s love passed from one generation to another. A memory captured on a fork, a smell that instantly transports you to your childhood or a taste that reminds you of a special time, day or place.
This month to celebrate my heritage, my culture, my family I would like to share the plates of my life. Plates that have held a grip on my heart since as long as I can remember, and some that have transformed themselves over time to be a mix of my past and the present with my children. Granted many of these dishes are humble in comparison to some of the recipes I have featured in this space, but simple ingredients mixed with love often provide the best dishes wouldn’t you agree? I’m not sure why I have never thought to share these recipes before, but I hope you enjoy these plates, this tiny piece of my culture as much as I have grown to love, appreciate and understand that this remarkable heritage is what makes me the women, mom and wife I am today. Enjoy!
We begin this celebration with Enchiladas en Salsa Roja. One of the simplest, tastiest meals that has ever graced my lips. Warm tortillas dipped in a rich tomato salsa and sprinkled with queso. A meal easily pulled together by my mom on a busy week night, served to family members when they would arrive for a visit or even presented on a huge platter for a fiesta, enchiladas en salsa roja have always been one of my favorite meals. Did she love them as much as I did? Or was this budget friendly meal a great alternative to a large family, who knows, who cares they are amazing! I sometimes like to mix tomatoes and tomatillos to make the sauce and even add an extra chile when I’m feeling the need for a little bit of extra spice in my day. Served with a spoon of steamy frijoles de olla I would happily consume plate after plate. I made these last night for dinner and my mom said “I really like the sauce.” She’s sweet. La adoro!
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes or ½ pound tomatoes and ½ pound tomatillos
- 1 large onion halved
- 2 garlic cloves skin on
- 1 jalapeño remove seeds for less heat
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 12 corn tortillas
- Oil for frying
- queso fresco crumbled
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On a baking sheet place tomatoes, garlic, 1 half of onion and jalapeno. Place under broiler and roast until charred (skin slightly blackened). About 5-10 minutes, turning once, to char evenly. Be sure to watch the garlic as it will char before the rest of ingredients.
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Remove garlic skin. Add tomatoes, garlic, onion and chile to blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, set aside. Slice remaining half of onion for garish.
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Over medium heat in a skillet add enough oil to reach 1/2-inch deep. Lightly fry each tortilla; they should be soft, but still pliable. Drain on paper towels.
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Dip each tortilla through the tomato sauce. Fold and arrange on plate or platter. When all tortillas are arrange spoon more sauce over the top, garnish with queso and sliced onions.
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.
from HispanicHeritageMonth.gov
So there is no filling in these( meat, cheese) ? Just dip in red sauce and sprinkle with cojita cheese. Am i missing a step?
Hi Lilly~
You can add filling if you like,(my sister’s adds picadillo) but the traditional recipe is just dipped in red sauce and cheese. Enjoy~
Vianney
The roasted tomato sauce alone sounds wonderful! What a beautiful and delicious dish.
Great…. now I’m dying for enchiladas…. I may have to make these tomorrow and praise your name to the enchilada gods.
Looks and sounds delicious! I love the color!
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month. I love enchiladas, especially that you topped this with a little queso. Looking forward to all the recipes you’ll be sharing this month.
Hmmm looks delicious and the red color is really catchy! It’s important to honor our own heritage and thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
I’m loving the color of the tacos! Great contrast with the cheese. Too bad I’m staying away from carbs, cheese and all things ultra delicious for a few weeks!
Yum! I think i’ll be making enchiladas this week que antojo!
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! What a yum way to kick-off the celebration 🙂
oh i love that beautiful, vibrant red color to the enchiladas. These look like perfection
these sound seriously amazing, I definitely need to try these!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I mostly make green instead of red for any given Mexican recipe because my husband prefers green over red, so I like to try out other peoples’ roja recipes and see what sticks 🙂
This is on my menu plan for this week. Thank you!
Ooo… so good! I love that the filling can be substituted too. Savings for dinner this week 🙂
Yum! This recipe looks so good and easy to make. Can’t wait to try them at home 🙂
That looks absolutely amazing! I love red enchiladas, especially with a fried egg on top…mmmmmm 🙂
What a fantastic dish and so colourful and mouth watering that I just want to tuck in!!
Cant wait for what you want to share with us…
Cheers,
Lia.
simple and delicious! wonderfully plated and how can anyone say no to enchiladas right?!
What a beautiful post, Vianney! And what a gorgeous plate of enchiladas! I’m going to have to try this salsa roja very soon. Can’t wait to see what other dishes you share for Hispanic Heritage Month. 🙂
Another deliciously simple dish! Can’t wait for all of the heritage recipes this month, not that you don’t provide that every month! 🙂
OK definitely making these, too – humble is good. Did your shells really turn out that red? They look dyed or like they were red before the dipping in the sauce? Sounds simple and delicious.
🙂
V
These enchiladas are absolutely beautiful. The only time I’ve dipped was in enchilada sauce. This sounds even tastier. And always love slices of fresh onion on top. Pinned.
Beautiful way to honor your heritage and thank you for celebrating by sharing with us!
Love the red color!
A wonderful dish! I can’t wait to see what you’ll share with us.
Cheers,
Rosa