Expat Kitchen - Veggie Enchiladas

Denmark is very far away from Mexico, a Taco Bell, or a decent/reasonably priced Mexican restaurant. Most grocery stores have a small Tex-Mex section, but it costs an arm and a leg and the products have been "modified" to cater to palates that generally prefer rugbrød to tortillas.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so I'm using some of my time as an expat to become a home kitchen expert in cooking the foods I took for granted back home in the US.

The chances of finding canned enchilada sauce in Denmark fall somewhere between slim and none, so I make my own:

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

2 T butter
2 T flour
5 t chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin
2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 1/4 cups veggie stock

1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, then add the flour, and brown to make a roux.
2. Add the spices/seasonings and tomato paste, stir until blended with the roux.
3. Gradually add the veggie stock, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.

Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 red or green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 cups black beans (drained & rinsed)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
cayenne pepper (to taste)
corn tortillas
enchilada sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil

1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, then add the onion and pepper and cook for a couple minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and continue to cook until the onions and peppers are soft.
2. Stir in the black beans and salsa, cook until heated through. Mash the black beans a little, leaving some broken and some whole, then add the corn and cook until it's heated through.
3. Stir in the creme fraiche.
4. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray, then coat the bottom with enchilada sauce.
5. Spoon the filling mixture down the middle of each tortilla, then roll closed, leaving the ends open and place them seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top.
6. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, or until it starts bubbling.
7. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and bake uncovered until the cheese melts.

Article Author: Sage & Simple

Sage is an American woman living in Denmark. A web diva by trade, her passions lie in food, travel, photography, and falafel.

She blogs about her travels and the pleasures and challenges of living abroad at www.sageandsimple.com

Visit Sage & Simple's author page — Sage & Simple's Blog