Serves: 8
Total Calories: 423

Basic Red Chile Sauce
Appetizer Meatballs
corn oil or other Vegetable oil for frying
12 (6- to 7-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
2 medium white onions, cut into half rings
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Prepare the red chile sauce. Prepare the meatballs and keep them warm in the cooking broth.

2. Pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch in a medium skillet and heat until it shimmers. Fry the tortilla strips, in batches, until golden. Drain on paper towels.

3. In a large wide saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet over medium heat and fry the onions until they start to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the prepared red chile sauce and 1/2 cup of the cooking broth from the meatballs. Break the fried tortilla strips in half and add to the sauce mixture. Stir to combine and heat through. If the tortillas are still dry, stir in some additional liquid. Mix in the cheese to just combine, and transfer the contents to a clay casserole dish or other attractive serving dish.

4. Arrange the heated meatballs around the outside edge of the dish. Sprinkle with cilantro. (The chilaquiles can be kept warm in a 200° oven about 20 minutes, for the best texture, after that they become soggy.)

From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 423
Calories from Fat: 141

More Recipes from the 1,000 Mexican Recipes Cookbook:
* Enchiladas, Tamales, and Tortilla Casseroles
Baked Aztec Chicken Casserole
Basic Corn Tortilla Dough
Basic Corn Tortillas
Basic Crepes
Basic Tamale Dough
Black Bean Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas in Red Sauce
Cheese and Tortilla Casserole
Chicken and Tortilla Casserole with Green Sauce
Corn Crepes
Corn Crepes with Chicken and Corn
Crepes with Corn Mushroom
Folded Tortillas in Bean Sauce
Folded Tortillas in Pasilla Chile Sauce
Folded Tortillas in Tomato Sauce
Fresh Corn Tamales
Masa Dumplings
Meatball and Tortilla Casserole
Mushroom Crepes
Pork and Tortilla Casserole
Potato and Tortilla Casserole
Seafood Enchiladas
Stacked Beef Enchiladas
Swiss Enchiladas
Tamales Wrapped in Swiss Chard
Tamales in Banana Leaves, Oaxaca Style
Tamales with Beef or Pork
Tamales with Chicken
Tamales with Jalapeños, Cheese, and Corn
Tamales with Shrimp
Tamales, Monterrey Style
Tortilla, Bean, and Corn Casserole
Tortilla, Corn, and Zucchini Casserole
Tortillas in Ancho Chile and Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Turkey Enchiladas in Green Sauce
Vegetable Enchiladas
Vegetable Tamales with Black Bean Sauce
White Flour Tortillas
Yucatán Tamale Pie