Thursday, April 2, 2009

The "Whole Enchilada" (sauce that is...) From our favorite "Dive" - LaCalandria




LaCalandria is a our favorite "Dive" in Midvale, Utah. (In case you haven't heard of a "Dive" - here is the definition: Part of speech - noun. Definition - dirty, sleazy establishment. Synonyms - dump, flea trap, flophouse, hangout, hole) We love their enchiladas - nothing else quite like them in our book. I find myself craving them, and I've always wanted to know how to make their sauce.

Well - LaCalandria is NOT quite as bad as they make it sound on Thesaurus.com - but “classy” it’s not. You get that impression when you see Christmas lights on all year long, and everything you could buy in Tijuana hung in every available space on the walls. It recently was sold to a new owner (along with all the classic recipes they used) and it will never be the same. I regret not asking for their enchillada sauce recipe on the last day I ate there with my father-in-law. In all my perusing on food blogs, recipe sites, etc... I stumbled upon a YouTube demo from a restaurant called el Coyote’ in Los Angeles. I decided to give it a try - and it is VERY close to the real deal. NOT too spicy or hot - but rich and dark with a flavor I couldn’t quite place (which, incidentally, is probably the cocoa powder) Every enchilada sauce I have ever tried to make is way too tomato-ey and sets my hair on fire. This one is just right (but there’s still something missing - when I find out what it is, I’ll post a correction!)

For the recipe for the "Whole Enchilada" Sauce, click here.

For the recipe, photos, and instructions for assembling the Enchiladas, go to: www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

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