It would be impossible to completely fill the void that the late-great Anthony Bourdain left, but I will say that I am a huge fan of Eva Longoria’s CNN series, “Searching for Mexico” and “Searching for Spain.”

She may lack his unbridled snark and bravado, but she brings warmth, compassion, and enthusiasm in spades. And no shade to Stanley Tucci in his Italy series on CNN and National Geographic, but Longoria does a far better job of actually describing the food on her shows that she’s lucky enough to enjoy.

It’s that same type of exuberance and down-to-earth charm that permeates her cookbook, “My Mexican Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

The actor, director, and producer of Mexican heritage grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. In fact, she often identifies herself as “Texican.” She now splits her time between Mexico and Spain.

Her newest cookbook was inspired by her travels and experiences while making her CNN show. The collection of 100 recipes are both homey and home-cook friendly. You’ll find yourself salivating for “Potato and Egg Breakfast Tacos,” “Corn and Green Chile Soup with Salsa Macha,” “Short Rib Birria,” and “Chocoflan.”

With the nights growing cooler, I gravitated to her “Tex-Mex Chili Enchiladas.” After all, who doesn’t love a casserole with loads of melty cheese at this time of year?

Longoria writes that she grew up on these rather Tex-Mex rather than authentic Mexican enchiladas. Her mom would use canned chili for convenience to get dinner on the table fast. But Longoria goes the extra — but easy — step to make her own meaty, chili gravy instead.

The non-negotiable for her? Cheddar that’s yellow, not white. But only because that’s what she fondly grew up with.

Make the gravy by sauteing ground beef with onion, garlic, ancho chili powder, cumin, and cayenne if you like a touch more heat. Stir in tomato paste and flour, then add beef or chicken broth. As the mixture simmers, it will thicken to a luscious, gravy-like consistency.

One at a time, fry tortillas in olive oil in a frying pan. Roll each one around some grated Cheddar, then place in a baking pan that’s been coated with some of the meaty gravy. When all the rolled tortillas are in the pan, top with the remaining gravy and remaining cheese. Bake until everything is bubbling and melted.

To serve, sprinkle minced, raw white onion over the top to add a blast of sharpness and crispiness.

This is a hearty dish that’s so comforting, with the taste of toasted corn, robust gooey cheese, and a thick, meaty sauce that’s full of earthy warmth and moderate spiciness.

Longoria says she’s always had a soft spot for these enchiladas. One taste, and you’ll have one, too.

To pair alongside, I hesitantly reached for a bottle of Malbec. I love this dark varietal, but usually I’ve enjoyed it with a hefty cut of meat like steak or prime rib. I feared it might simply be too muscular for cheesy enchiladas, albeit ones topped with ground beef.

Imagine my surprise when this particular bottle of 2023 Corazon Del Sol “Los Chacayes” Malbec ($35), of which I received a sample, turned out to be a fabulous pairing.

The inky magenta-purple, full-bodied red wine was produced from grapes from the Corazon Del Sol vineyards at the base of the Andes Mountains in Argentina. It was made by winemaker Luciano Bastias, who has racked up multiple Wine Spectator Top 100 honors and was just named Argentina’s “Best Young Winemaker of 2025” by Master of Wine Tim Atkin.

This particular Malbec is regarded as the freshest and most fruity one that the winery makes. It shows an abundance of purple plums and dark berries, plus an almost balsamic accent on the palate with a hint of cinnamon. With smooth tannins and a touch of acidity, it more than stands up to the substantial enchiladas but also cuts through their richness.

Pick up a bottle at Cost Plus to make this dinner at home a real event.

Tex-Mex Chili Enchiladas

(Serves 4 to 6)

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup good-quality olive oil (not extra-virgin)

1 pound ground beef (I like 80/20)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth or chicken stock

14 corn tortillas, homemade or store-bought

12 ounces sharp cheddar (preferably yellow!), grated

1/4 small white onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large saute pan or Dutch oven, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, using a spatula or spoon to break up the meat, until the beef is no longer pink and is starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Move the meat over to one side of the pan and use a large spoon to remove any excess fat (you want to leave about 1/4 cup). Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, ancho powder, cumin, and cayenne (if using). Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, stir to distribute it around the pan, and saute for 1 minute, just to cook off the raw tomato taste. Add the flour and cook, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks or burns, until the flour has been absorbed into the meat and veggies, and is no longer raw, about 1 minute.

Stir in the broth and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened and has the texture of a loose gravy, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and have near the stove. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla, and cook just until soft and starting to blister, 10 to 13 seconds, flipping halfway through. Remove to the paper towels to soak up any excess oil and continue with the remaining tortillas.

To assemble, evenly spread half of the beef gravy in a 9-ty-13-inch baking dish. Working one at a time, place 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated cheese in the lower third of a fried tortilla and carefully roll up. Place the rolled tortilla, seam-side down, in the baking sheet. Continue to stuff and roll the remaining tortillas. Spread the rest of the beef sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the minced white onion over top and serve immediately.

From “My Mexican Kitchen” by Eva Longoria