Enchiladas Placeras Morelianas

Ingredients

• 4 chicken legs, split into thighs and drumsticks
• 8 guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 0.5 white onion, quartered
• 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm dice
• 300 g carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm dice
• 150 g pork lard
• 12 corn tortillas
• 150 g Cotija cheese, crumbled
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 0.5 iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 150 g pickled jalapenos and carrots

Before you cook

• Toast the guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry pan for 45 seconds a side, until they smell sweet and pliable.
• Soak the toasted chillies in hot water for 20 minutes, keeping them submerged.
• Blend the drained chillies with the garlic, quartered onion, cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and 250 ml of fresh water until completely smooth.
• Strain the sauce through a sieve into a wide shallow bowl.
• Dice the potatoes and carrots to the same size.
• Dice the second onion and shred the lettuce for the table.

Steps

1. Rub a third of the chilli sauce over the chicken pieces and leave them for 20 minutes.
2. Melt the lard in a large deep frying pan over medium heat.
3. Fry the chicken pieces for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until they are cooked through and the skin is crisp.
4. Lift the chicken onto a rack and keep it somewhere warm.
5. Add the potato and carrot to the same pan and fry them for 12 minutes, stirring, until tender and browned at the edges.
6. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the chilli sauce over the vegetables and toss them for 2 minutes, until coated and dry.
7. Move the vegetables to a bowl and keep them warm.
8. Dip a tortilla into the bowl of chilli sauce so both sides are coated.
9. Slide the coated tortilla into the hot lard and fry it for 30 seconds a side, until it darkens and firms.
10. Fold the tortilla into quarters in the pan and lift it onto a warm plate.
11. Fry and fold the remaining tortillas the same way, topping up the lard if the pan runs dry.
12. Scatter crumbled Cotija and diced onion over the folded enchiladas.
13. Add a piece of chicken and a spoonful of the chilli potatoes and carrots to each plate.
14. Finish with shredded lettuce and pickled jalapenos and serve straight away.