So stipulated. Processed cheese can take on flavor from other cheeses, and provide them with melted stability as well. I ended up using a blend of Velveeta and Cheddar on the enchiladas with red sauces. For the chicken, I used queso fresco, firm-textured and slightly salty. “At home, sometimes I use cotija or feta,” Mr. Walsh said.

Image Robb Walsh, a proprietor of El Real Tex-Mex in Houston and the eminent historian of Tex-Mex cuisine. Credit... Michael Stravato for The New York Times

Enchiladas are what you make of them. I set out to cook.

For the chicken, I made a simple salsa verde — tomatillos, onion, garlic and Serrano peppers whizzed up in a food processor with a few sprigs of tender cilantro. You can buy fresh tomatillos, then husk and rinse them and use them raw, which gives the sauce great vibrancy, but using canned ones is no crime. I poached some chicken, too, though Mr. Walsh told me he most often uses leftovers at home, or picks up a roasted bird at the supermarket. For home cooks, that is a sensible move.

For the cheese enchiladas, I made chili gravy — really just a roux amped up with chile powder. Some restaurants use lard as the base, thickening it with flour or masa harina. In the old days, Mr. Walsh said, people used beef tallow. A neutral oil, like canola, will do.

And for the chili con carne, I made a skillet version with ground beef, thickening it with toasted flour.