Debi Canon’s Tex-Mex Fiesta Feast

Including Red Chili, Cheese Enchiladas, Spanish rice and Borracho Beans

(We met Debi and Roy Canon at Mario’s Marina.  For the last two years, we’ve cruised with them in both Belize and Honduras.  Debi prepared this meal for us in Roatan after a horrendous night passage.  One of the things that helped us keep the faith was the promise of her enchiladas.  They are incredible.)

Debi’s San Antonio Red Chili

Note:  San Antonio, TX, is the home of Tex-Mex cuisine.  San Antonio Red Chili is the classic original with the basis for most Chili Cook-off recipes.  It does not include beans.  Chili recipes are hugely varied and if you like beans – add them but you won’t be allowed to if entering competition.

2 lb. ground beef – browned
2 large onions
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
6 – 10 Tbs. chili powder (Grebhardt is best)
1-2 Tb. Paprika
2-4 tsp. cumin – ground
2-4 tsp. oregano (Mexican if possible)
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbs. beef consommé powder
4-6 cups of water
Cayenne pepper

Flour/masa de maiz mixture -  1:1 ratio.  Total of ¼ cup dissolved in water to make thick but pourable mix.

Brown ground beef and set aside.  Cook onions until soft.  Add meat, garlic, tomato, water and ½ of the spices.  Bring to boil and simmer 1-1/2 hours.  Skim off fat, add last ½ of spices, heat and correct seasoning to taste.  Cook 1 hour.  Check seasoning again and add more spice to taste. 

(Debi usually uses 2 parts chili powder, 1 part Paprika, 1 part cumin, 1 part oregano proportions – i.e. 2 Tbs. chili powder, 1Tbs. Paprika, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp oregano.  The key is to layer the spices and make sure they are balanced.  You should not be able to pick out any one flavor – they should be well blended and balanced.)

  After spice level is corrected – thicken with flour mixture and cook 15 minutes more. 

Lyric’s Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas
(Makes 24)

Corn tortillas
Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Cheddar or Colby cheese – grated
1 lb. Monterrey Jack cheese – grated
San Antonio Red Chili

Heat ½ c oil in small frypan – the oil should be not but NOT to frying temperature.  Dip each tortilla into hot oil and remove immediately.  You are not cooking the tortilla – only coating it with oil.  Drain on paper towel.  (Debi does this in batches of six.)

In non-stick baking pan, place tortilla flat, add 1 Tbs. chili and mixture of cheese and carefully roll into enchilada.  Place seam down in pan.  Continue until all enchiladas are rolled.  You can do this ahead of time.

Ladle generous amounts of chili over enchiladas and cover with more cheese.  Bake at 350-degrees approximately 15-25 min. or until cheese is completely melted and bubbling on top.  Do not overcook or enchiladas will be mushy.  Serve immediately.

Spanish Rice
(12 servings)

6 cups pre-cooked white rice
1-1/2 cup chopped tomato – fresh or canned
1-2 jalepeño peppers – deeded, deveined and minced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 small – medium onions chopped
4-6 Tbs. olive oil
3-6 tsp Chili powder (Gebhardt is the best)
1-2 tsp powdered cumin
Salt
Pepper

Add 2 Tbs. olive oil to large fry pan.  Add tomato, onion, garlic, jalepeño, ½ of the spices and cook until onions are soft.  Gradually add about ¾ of the rice and blend.  Continue to cook and stir the mixture while adding the remaining rice, oil and spices.  You may need to add a small amount of water to make the mixture easy to stir.  It should NOT clump up.

You can have this as spicy or mild as you like.  The trick is to add rice, vegetables, spices and oil in layers and cook to blend the seasonings.

Borracho (Drunk) Beans
(12 Servings)

1 lb. Pinto beans – sorted, cleaned
¼ lb. bacon or salt pork
2 medium onions – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 jalopeño peppers – minced
2 tsp. chili powder
½ - 1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. beef consommé powder
Beer

Night before:  After thoroughly cleaning the beans (3 rinses), cover them with water and allow them to soak overnight.  Drain soaking water before cooking.

In a pot, cut bacon/salt pork into 1-inch pieces and fry until fat is rendered.  Add onions and jalepeño and sauté until softened.  Add garlic and sauté one minute.  To the pot, add 6 cups of water and beans.  Bring to a boil and add all seasonings except beer.  Allow to simmer about 2-1/2 hours.  Correct seasoning to taste.  Add ½ can beer and cook 15 – 20 minutes longer.