Sweet Potato Enchiladas

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The Internet is great, isn't it? It is the best source for recipes. But sometimes, the number of variations can be daunting, especially if you're looking for one good recipe for an unfamiliar dish. In times like this, I would often take ideas from a few recipes and make one original oddball recipe. This is one of those recipes.

For the enchilada sauce:

• 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons (no, not a typo) of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of coco powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced fine
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 3 cups of vegetable stock
• salt to taste
  

For the enchiladas:

• 3 medium sweet potatos, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 14.5-ounce of diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  
• 10 corn tortillas
• 2 cups of grated Mexican cheese (I used enchilado queso anejo, which is an aged pressed cheese rolled in paprika. Sharp cheddar, Monetery jack and/or mozzarella will also be fine)
• salt to taste
  
• chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray sweet potato chunks with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning once at the 15 minute mark. Set aside. Turn oven to 350 degrees.

In the meantime, saute minced garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour, chili powder, coco powder, dried oregano, and cumin. Cook for about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and vegetable stock. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Turn heat down so the mixture simmers. Add salt to taste. Contine to cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced to half or about 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside and allow sauce to cool.

In a large skillet, saute minced garlic and jalapeno peppers in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and black beans. Cook until the beans are tender. Add roasted sweet potatoes. Mash the sweet potatoes with spatula. Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Ladle enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of a large baking pan. Wrap the sweet potato mixture with corn tortillas. Place the tortillas seam down into the baking pan. Line the baking pan with wrapped tortillas. Ladle the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

The result was surprisingly delicious. The enchilada sauce is the star of the dish. The sweet and spicy enchiladas pair well with the sauce and the gooey cheese. I have to say, this is one of the best dishes that I've ever made.