Red Chile Enchiladas with Fried Egg

1. 1
   prep · ~20 min

   Toast and soak the dried chiles.

   1.Stem and seed 8 dried New Mexico chiles, tearing them flat.

   2.Dry-toast in a hot skillet over medium heat, pressing with a spatula, until pliable and fragrant (1-2 min per side).

   3.Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak 20 minutes until fully softened.

   TIPDon't skip toasting — it deepens the chile's natural smoky fruitiness.
2. 2
   mix · ~2 min

   Blend the red chile sauce.

   1.Drain the soaked chiles, reserving 1.5 cups of the soaking liquid.

   2.Add chiles, garlic cloves, cumin seeds, salt, and dried oregano to the blender.

   3.Pour in the reserved soaking liquid and blend until perfectly smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. 3
   prep · ~5 min

   Strain and simmer the sauce.

   1.Press the blended sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan for a silky texture.

   2.Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often.

   3.Remove from heat once the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Set aside warm.

   TIPStraining removes bitter skin bits and seeds — worth the extra minute.
4. 4
   fry · ~5 min

   Fry the tortillas.

   1.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

   2.Quick-fry each corn tortilla just until softened and lightly blistered, about 15 seconds per side.

   3.Drain on paper towels and blot excess oil.

   TIPDon't fry crisp — you want pliable tortillas that fold nicely.
5. 5
   assemble · ~3 min

   Assemble the enchiladas.

   1.Dip a fried tortilla into the warm red chile sauce until fully coated.

   2.Place it on a plate, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, and layer a second dipped tortilla on top.

   3.Add more cheese between and on top. Repeat for all 4 plates (2 stacked tortillas each).

   TIPAssemble just before frying the eggs so everything hits the table hot.
6. 6
   fry · ~4 min

   Fry the eggs sunny-side up.

   1.Wipe the nonstick skillet clean and add the remaining oil, heating over medium-low.

   2.Crack 4 eggs gently into the skillet, leaving space between each one.

   3.Cook undisturbed until whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 3 to 4 minutes.

   TIPLow heat gives you tender whites without browning the bottom.
7. 7
   serve · ~1 min

   Crown each enchilada stack with a fried egg.

   1.Slide a fried egg on top of each stacked enchilada plate.

   2.Scatter diced white onion and chopped cilantro over everything.

   3.Serve immediately while the yolks are still molten.

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