Enchiladas

Sweet and Savory Enchiladas

These enchiladas aren’t your standard Tex-Mex beef and cheese affair. The filling reaches back to the colonial era, when Spanish, Mediterranean, and Mexican ingredients mingled in convent kitchens across central Mexico: briny olives, plump raisins, and nutty aged gouda rolled into tortillas and bathed in red chili salsa.

The sweet-savory contrast is the whole point. Raisins plump with warm chili sauce, olives push back with salty bite, and the gouda melts into silky pools that bind everything. It sounds unlikely. It tastes revelatory.

Quickly dipping each tortilla in warm chili salsa before filling is a technique worth learning. It softens the tortilla just enough to roll without cracking, and primes the wrapper to soak up sauce during baking instead of resisting it.

A short bake at 325°F (160°C) is all it takes. You only need to heat through and melt the cheese; the tortillas already have plenty of sauce on them from the dip.

Chef Tips

• Warm the tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave before dipping; cold tortillas tear.
• Dry the dipped tortilla on a wire rack for a few seconds so it’s not dripping when you fill it, or the filling slides out.
• Let the enchiladas rest 5 minutes out of the oven before serving so the cheese can firm up and the rolls slice cleanly.
• Pair with a crisp side of pickled red onions or a simple green salad to cut through the richness.

Variations

• Swap gouda for manchego or a queso fresco and cotija mix for a more traditional Mexican flavor.
• Add shredded chicken or leftover pulled pork to the filling for heartier enchiladas.
• Use corn tortillas instead of flour for a gluten-free version and a more rustic texture.