Cheese Enchiladas with Red Mole | The Bittman Project

Ingredients

• 12–15 mild to medium dried chiles (like New Mexico, mulatto, pasilla, guajillo, ancho, or a combination), toasted, soaked, and cleaned (see below)
• 2 cups assorted nuts (like peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, and hazelnuts)
• 1/4 cup tahini (to make your own, see here) or sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder or chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 4 plum tomatoes (canned are fine)
• 2 thick slices white bread (stale is fine)
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup good-quality vegetable oil, plus more for frying
• 3 or 4 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons anise seeds
• Salt and pepper
• Brown sugar (optional)
• 24 small corn tortillas, plus more if any break
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion or scallions for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
• Lime wedges for garnish