Vivi’s Enchiladas Michoacanas in Honor of Her Abuelita

Enchiladas Michoacanas — lovingly filled with chile-sauce-flavored queso fresco — are an all-time favorite family recipe that Vanessa “Vivi” Vianey makes regularly in honor of her Abuelita.

Vivi, who cooks online at Vivi’s Table channel, cites her forever-loved and much-missed grandmother Elisa Abeja, who lived to age 92, as inspiration for her love of cooking for family and friends and in her work as a caterer and recipe developer.

Bold in flavor, affordably filling, and easy to make, these rust-red enchiladas soaked in a sauce made with three kinds of chile — ancho, guajillo, and de arbol — are prepped in a style traditional to their family roots in Michoacan, Mexico. That’s where Vivi’s grandparents were born and lived before they moved to Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood in the 1950s, where they had eight children and became community pillars.

One of those eight kids is Vivi’s mother, Oralia Abeja-Lara, who today joins her daughter in the kitchen for this special recipe series in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Vivi was invited by Spanglish Asadero spices and Familia Kitchen to choose two of her all-time favorite meals to celebrate her family’s Mexican heritage and cooking traditions.

Of course Vivi picked her Abuelita’s family-famous enchiladas de queso. Her grandmother’s legendary gorditas with two types of fillings also made the cut. Making both dishes for this series served as an invitation for Vivi and her mom to spend a day together in the kitchen, chopping, frying and telling stories about Abuelita Elisa, may she rest in peace. A beautiful (and delicioso!) way to celebrate Hispanic Month, and exactly what Familia Kitchen is all about: Let’s cook our way home, together.

How to Make Vivi’s Abuela’s Enchiladas Michoacanas

In their special step-by-step how-to video for this dish, Vivi and her mom, Oralia, show us how to make the enchilada sauce, lightly fry and dip the tortillas. and cook the potatoes and carrots side dish. “Nothing makes me feel closer to my grandparents than making the food we loved to eat together,” says Vivi.

Familia Kitchen: Why did you choose to make enchiladas as an expression of your heritage for Hispanic Heritage Month?

Vivi: Enchiladas are not just a favorite of mine, but a true Mexican staple. You see them served at every festival and street fair and without a doubt will always have a long line. Enchiladas are a type of comfort food because they include a combination of tortillas, a bold and savory salsa, and a fresh or melty cheese. 

Familia Kitchen: Do you remember the first time you ever made this family dish?

Vivi: I first made tortillas at home by myself, and I quickly learned there was a special technique to making sure the tortillas don’t rip. I did what I usually did when I had questions about food and asked my grandmother, who flawlessly showed me how to lightly fry the tortilla first before dipping it into the sauce. And I’ve continued to make them that way since. 

Familia Kitchen: How is your family’s version of this traditional dish different and/or better than any other version of enchiladas Michacanas?

Vivi: I keep the recipe pretty simple and as authentic to [traditional] enchiladas Michoacanas as possible. That said, I love a bold and spicy red sauce, so I’ll add an extra chile de arbol or two. 

Familia Kitchen: On what kinds of occasions and how often do you make this dish today for your family and friends?

Vivi: My grandmother would make enchiladas for the community festival in Little Village called the August Fest, so I’ve always connected this dish to community and celebratio. But I make enchiladas very often because of how simple and filling they are. I’ll make a large batch of salsa roja to use for my eggs, enchiladas and chilaquiles. 

Familia Kitchen: What does this dish mean to you personally and professionally, as you invite us into your Mexican heritage and love of cooking? 

Vivi: Enchiladas are a beloved food to me and to my culture. We have so many variations of meals with salsa, tortillas and a protein, and this is one of those that will have people coming back for seconds, thirds, fourths. Professionally, as a caterer, I feel a great deal of pride when I successfully serve these, especially to my family and friends. 

Thank you to Spanglish Asadero spices for sponsoring this special Hispanic Heritage Month series featuring Vanesa “Vivi” Abeja, one of Familia Kitchen’s favorite Mexican cooks.

Photography by: Ronit Bezalel

Vivi’s Enchiladas Michoacanas in Honor of Her Abuelita

Recipe by Vivi Vianey

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 
  For the Enchilada Sauce

• 5 dried chile guajillo, stemmed and seeded

• 3 dried chile ancho, stemmed and seeded

• 3 dried chiles de arbol

• ¼ white onion

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic

• 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 3 cups water

• 
  For the Enchilada Filling and Garnishes

• 12 corn tortillas

• 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled

• 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced

• 1½ cups potatoes, peeled, cooked, diced

• 1½ cups carrots, peeled, cooked, diced

• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, sliced

• olive oil, for frying (Vivi’s Abuelita used corn oil)

Directions

• Make the Enchilada Sauce
• Add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, chiles de árbol, onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, dried oregano, and water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
• Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan.
• Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Prep the Enchiladas
• In a small skillet, heat a thin layer of olive oil over medium heat. Lightly fry each tortilla for approximately 30 seconds per side, until just softened.
• Dip the tortilla into the warm enchilada sauce, making sure it is completely coated.
• Return the tortilla to the skillet and fry briefly on each side. Transfer to a plate and continue with the remaining tortillas.
• Make the Filling
• In a small bowl, combine the crumbled queso fresco and diced white onion. Mix gently and set aside.
• Place approximately 2 Tbsp of the queso fresco mixture in a line at the center of each tortilla. Fold and roll the tortilla over the filling. Continue with the remaining tortillas.
• Make the Potatoes and Carrots Side Dish
• In a bowl, combine the diced cooked potatoes and carrots.
• Add 1 cup of the enchilada sauce and gently toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
• To Serve
• Arrange the enchiladas on a serving plate, alongside a large spoonful of saucy potatoes and carrots.
• Garnish with chopped romaine lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Notes

• To make this dish healthier, Vivi uses olive oil to shallow fry the sauce-soaked tortillas. Her grandmother used corn oil. By the gallonful, reports Oralia.