I was craving the shrimp tacos I used to have in Southern California. But fall is upon us, there is a snap to the air and the temperatures are cooling, even in Florida, so tacos just felt a little wrong somehow. Besides, tacos just don’t seem appropriate for Sunday night dinner.
So I decided to try making shrimp enchiladas instead. Ok, maybe not the traditional roast beef Sunday dinner I grew up with in my WASPy home but I’m sure enchiladas are traditional Sunday night dinner for somebody, somewhere.
With no particular game plan in mind I wondered over to the local Mexican grocery store and that’s where inspiration hit me. There were beautiful tomatillas, huge poblano peppers, yellow onions and freshly made corn tortillas.
Believe me when I tell you, these where phenomenal! Packed with flavor, easy to make and enough for a crowd. The salsa verde alone is worth the price of admission to my blog. OK, my blog is free but still…
Shrimp Enchiladas
(Printable)Ingredients:
2 ½ pound tomatillas
2 medium yellow onions
4 gloves garlic
2 – 3 large poblano peppers
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 bunches cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups packed)
36 – 48 large shrimp, cleaned, shelled and deveined
12 ounce queso fresco (Mexican crumbling cheese – if not available use Monterey Jack)
12 corn tortillas
1½ cups finely shredded cabbage
½ small red onion, finely sliced
1 cup sour cream
Juice of 2 limes
3 -4 avocados
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Remove paper husks and stems from tomatillas and cut into about 2 inch pieces. Cut onions into similar sized pieces. Cut poblano peppers in half, remove the ribs and seeds and cut into 2 inch pieces. Peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole. Divide the vegetables among 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over each pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat vegetables and arrange in a single layer. Cook for 40 – 45 minutes or until the vegetables have started to brown and are very soft. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor along with any juices and whirl until smooth. Save a few cilantro leaves for garnish if desired and add the rest to the vegetables along with the chopped jalapeno pepper. Whirl until smooth and well blended. Take out about ¾ cup and put in a small serving bowl. Pass along side with the finished enchiladas.
Toss the shrimp in a large mixing bowl with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the shrimp in a single layer in the pan (don’t over crowd - you may have to cook in 3 or 4 batches) just until they begin to turn pink, about 1 minute per side. You want to under cook them as they are going into the oven.
Grate the cheese, reserve a couple large handfuls to sprinkle over the top of the enchiladas.
Warm the tortillas by wrapping in paper towels and putting in the microwave for about 1 minute or until heated and soft.
Spray a large rectangular baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and
Spread about ½ cup of the salsa verde on the bottom of the dish.
Spoon a large tablespoon of salsa verde onto a tortilla; add a small handful of cheese and 3 – 4 shrimp. Roll and place in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon the rest of the salsa verde over the top of the rolled tortillas and sprinkle on the reserved cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
While enchiladas are baking prepare the garnishes. Toss together the cabbage and red onion and put in a serving dish. Mix the sour cream and lime juice together to make a thin sauce and put in a small bowl. Slice the avocados.
The best way to eat is to put a little extra salsa verde over the enchiladas, top with the cabbage and red onion, put a few avocado slices on the side and drizzle some of the sour cream lime sauce over it all.
Add some beans and rice maybe a margarita or two and that’s a great way to end the week.
Makes 12 enchiladas – enough to serve 6 or 8.
¡Buen provecho!
(flat tummy, no love handles, thin thighs, looking like I'm 20 when I'm...well, not!)
