Yes, everybody makes basic cooking mistakes. Like, say, something as simple as overcooking mushrooms or toasting grains and spices. Below, reader Rebecca Ragland confesses to associate food editor Rick Martinez that she's guilty of making seriously soggy enchiladas. Here’s Martinez's advice for making sure it never happens again. Welcome to Effed It Up.
Dear Rick, savior of soggy, soupy enchiladas,
I homemade green enchilada sauce using fresh peppers, tomatillos, onions, and garlic. I roasted everything. But my enchiladas came out seriously soggy!! The whole mess turned my tortillas into mush. I've never had that experience before. What happened? How do I prevent it from happening again?
Thanks,
Rebecca
Chicken Enchiladas Verdes. Photo: Alex Lau
Dear Rebecca,
Your sauce sounds amazing, but your soggy enchiladas are breaking my heart. I think I have a fix.
In Mexico, before anything else, corn tortillas are quickly fried until they just start to crisp up and take on a little bit of color. Only then are they filled and rolled into enchiladas. The quick fry does a couple of things. First, it creates a barrier on the surface of the tortilla that allows the tortilla to absorb some sauce—but avoid completely disintegrating. Second, it adds flavor; the sugar in the tortilla starts to caramelize and the proteins brown. Finally, it adds richness from the oil. But don't stress about the oil—tortillas actually don't soak up too much of it, so your enchiladas won't seem heavy.
After you fry the tortillas, dip both sides in your delicious sauce and cover the entire surface. Then stuff and roll. This is another difference between traditional preparations and the American one. Traditional enchiladas are made with less sauce but, because the tortillas are coated in sauce, it's more evenly distributed throughout the dish. And, with less sauce, it's less likely your tortillas will sog out and disintegrate.
After the quick-fry, dip both sides of those tortillas in sauce. Photo: Alex Lau
