My stepdaughter Morgan made this enchilada sauce this afternoon. She'll be using it to make a chicken enchilada casserole. This sauce has a beautiful deep red color, is full of flavor, and is easy to make. It has a nice, smooth consistency, both when warm and when cooled. It's just perfect for enchiladas and enchilada casseroles.
Morgan used regular old chili powder, Sprout's organic version, which is very mild. I can envision experimenting with flavor options using specific varieties or blends of chile powders to taste.
You can make this with chicken broth or make a vegan version with veggie broth. Morgan used Pacific brand low sodium organic chicken broth. Obviously homemade chicken or veggie broth would add more flavor, but we don't have any homemade on hand at the moment. No one will ever mistake me for Martha Stewart!
Here's the recipe, slightly adapted from a recipe on gimmesomeoven.com:
Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 T flour
4 T chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t oregano
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
6 oz. tomato paste
Directions:
Heat oil in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together over the heat until the mixture turns golden brown, at least one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Gradually add in the broth, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Add the tomato paste and whisk to blend. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
Use immediately or refrigerate.
