WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Unlike their Mexican counterparts, Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas have no meat in the filling, and trade the tomatoey enchilada sauce for a smoky chile gravy. The gravy, a hallmark of Tex-Mex cooking, provides the bulk of flavor in the dish. Like beef or poultry gravy, it’s based on broth thickened with a roux (in this case, flour cooked with vegetable oil or lard). But unlike other gravies, chile gravy gets its signature flavor not
from meat drippings but from aromatics, spices, and, of course, dried chiles, either whole or powdered. Since the chile flavor is central to the gravy, we opted to work with dried chiles rather than chile powder; they gave the gravy a cleaner, more potent flavor. Dried ancho chiles, along with cumin, garlic, and oregano, were the perfect backbone for our roux-based gravy, and a splash of vinegar brightened it up. Instead of using the processed cheese typical of the dish, we opted for a combination of cheddar for big, bold flavor and Monterey Jack for smooth meltability. Finally, a sprinkling of raw onion over the finished enchiladas provided a sharp counterpoint to the rich spices and creamy cheese. Click here to for make-ahead information. Serve with sour cream, diced avocado, sliced radishes, shredded romaine lettuce, and lime wedges.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• Dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½-inch pieces (½ cup)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 onion, chopped fine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toast anchos and cumin in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 6 minutes. Transfer to spice grinder and let cool slightly. Add garlic powder and oregano and grind to fine powder.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Whisk in flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ground spices and cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until sauce has thickened and measures 1½ cups, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread ½ cup sauce over bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Combine monterey jack and cheddar in bowl; set ½ cup cheese mixture aside for topping. Brush both sides of tortillas with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stack tortillas, wrap in damp dish towel, and place on plate; microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute.
4. Working with 1 warm tortilla at a time, spread ¼ cup cheese mixture across center of tortilla and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon onion. Roll tortilla tightly around filling and place seam side down in baking dish; arrange enchiladas in 2 columns across width of dish.
5. Pour remaining sauce over top to cover completely and sprinkle reserved cheese over enchiladas. Cover dish tightly with greased aluminum foil. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with remaining onion. Serve.