I recently came across this recipe from Buckeye Cookery by Estelle Woods Wilcox, dated 1877.  I'm assuming that she was from Ohio (The Buckeye State.)  It may be that she took a trip to the southwest and observed the preparation of tortillas and red chile by a local cook, recording the process.  According to some local Hispanic cooks, she was quite accurate.

ENCHILADAS.

Put four pounds of corn in a vessel with four ounces lime, or in a preparation of lye; boil with water till the hull comes off, then wash the corn (usually done by Mexicans on a scalloped stone made for grinding corn as was practiced by Rebecca), bake the meal in small cakes called "tortillas," then fry in lard; take some red pepper ground called "chili colorad," mix with it sweet oil and vinegar, and boil together. This makes a sauce into which dip the tortillas, then break in small pieces cheese and onions, and sprinkle on top the tortillas, "enchiladas" is the result. Any one who has ever been in a Spanish-speaking country will recognize this as one of the national dishes, as much as the pumpkin pie is a New England specialty.