Chilaquiles de Tequila — Jalisco

Ingredients

• 6 large chilacates, or dried Anaheim / New Mexican chiles (Capsicum annuum)
• 2 cups water
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
• ⅓ cup melted lard or safflower oil (approximately)
• 3 cups dried corn tortilla squares or diamonds (from approximately 15 small tortillas)
• ¼ cup white onion, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup queso adobera, queso añejo, or Romano cheese, crumbled

Method

1. 1
   Wipe the dried chiles clean, remove stems and seeds. Place in a small saucepan with the 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes.
2. 2
   Transfer chiles and all cooking water to a blender. Add the chopped garlic and salt. Blend until smooth, then strain through a medium-mesh sieve, pressing the solids. Discard the fibrous residue.
3. 3
   Heat the lard or oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat to approximately 175°C / 347°F. Fry the tortilla pieces in uncrowded batches until light golden, 2–3 minutes per batch. Lift out and drain briefly on absorbent paper.
4. 4
   Pour off excess oil from the pan, leaving a thin slick. Return all the fried tortilla pieces to the pan. Pour the strained chile sauce over them and set the heat to high.
5. 5
   Cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 8 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and the pieces are well coated but not disintegrating.
6. 6
   Transfer to a warm serving dish or individual plates. Scatter with the finely chopped raw onion and the crumbled cheese. Serve at once.