ENCHILADA LASAGNA BAKE

Steps:

• For the queso béchamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the onion and pickled jalapeños if using and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk, whisking until no clumps remain. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the cheese and cumin, season with a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir until the cheese is completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, placing the plastic directly onto the surface of the sauce, and refrigerate while you prepare the enchiladas.
• For the enchiladas: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roast the poblano peppers, holding them with tongs, over an open flame on the stovetop until heavily blistered and charred, about 2 minutes per side (see Cook's Note). Place the poblanos in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the peppers are cool enough to handle, cut in half and use the back of a knife or a spoon to scrape the seeds and the skin off the peppers. Roughly chop the peppers and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat from the pan. Stir one 10-ounce can of enchilada sauce into the beef.
• Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the remaining can of enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-11-inch baking pan. Layer tortillas over the bottom of the dish so it's covered, overlapping as necessary. Spoon in half the beef mixture to cover, top with about 3/4 cup béchamel sauce, and sprinkle with half the poblano and 1/3 cup of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers again, ending with a layer of tortillas.
• Cover the top layer with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the crushed tortilla chips and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• Allow the casserole to cool 15 minutes before serving. Slice into pieces and serve with the toppings of your choice for diners to garnish their servings. Enjoy!