Black Bean Enchiladas

Enchiladas Ingredients

• salt cumin, and chilli powder as needed
  2 cups of pureed tomato or 3 cans of tomato sauce
  
• 18 corn tortillas (24)
  
• 6 oz of graded chedder cheese( I usually use more you can
  never go wrong with cheese)
  
• 1 finely minced onion
  
• fresh cilantro
  
  

1. Soak the beans overnight in 6 cups of water. Drain.
   
   
2. In a large soup pot saute the chopped onions with a small amount of olive oil until tender(5 min).
   
   
3. Press the garlic and place half of it in the pot and cook for about a minute.
   
   
4. Add the black beans and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover and simmer for an hour.
   
   
5. Add the remain garlic, cilantro, and salt and cover a simmer for another hour. You should have a soupy mixture at the end add salt to taste. You want the beans to be soft enough to mash so if you go longer than the two hours. Don't worry.
   
   
6. Drain of about half the liquid from the beans, reserving the liquid in a separate bowl for later. Drain the beans and mash or use a food processor to coarsely mash them. You do not want to puree them because you want a coarse texture in the meal.
   
   
7. In a large deep dish frying pan place small amount of olive oil and saute the cumin and chilli powder. Cook the spice for about a minute or until the spices are sizzling. Place the mashed beans into the frying pan (can be done in batches so divide the spices accordingly). Fry the beans mashing and stirring until the they begin to thicken. They should start becoming rather aromatic, if they become dry use to fluid you have reserved to moisten the bean mixture. This step will take around 15 minutes per batch. Taste and add salt if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
   
   Ready for the enchiladas. Preheat the oven 350 F.
   
   
8. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan and place a pinch of salt cumin and chilli powder. Add 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and mix and bring to a bubble. Place the corn tortilla into the mixture and fry them on both sides. The tortilla should be soft and pliable, but not soaked to the point it will fall apart. Place on a plate in fashion that you can seperate them later. Add sauce and spices as need. You want the tortilla to have a tomato sauce coating. Do all of the tortillas. This is step is one of the keys to the enchilada's flavor.
   
   
9. Set aside about 1 1/2 cups of the black beans, 1/2 cup of onions and 1/2 cup of cheese. (This is reason for extra cheese). I mix the remaining tomato sauce from the corn tortillas with the black beans. It makes the sauce easier to pour.
   
   
10. In a large (3 qt) baking dish. Assemble the enchilada. Place a spoon full of the black beans, a small amount of onions and a layer of chedder cheese in a tortilla. Roll tortilla up and place in the pan with the seam down. Go easy on the initial enchiladas, you can hog wild on the amount on the later enchiladas but make sure you have enough for all of the tortillas. You should have enough for two layers of enchiladas. Once you have a single layer spread about half of the black bean sauce, onions, cilantro and chedder cheese over the top. Place a second layer of enchiladas on top and cover them with remaining sauce, onions, cilantro and cheese.
    
    
11. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place into the 350 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and add additional cilantro on top.
    
    
12. Break out the salsa and picante and serve.