marries perfectly with the shrimp. Serve with purchased guacamole or refried beans. Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
For the SAUCE3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 cups canned or homemade chicken stock
1 tablespoon minced oregano
1 teaspoon salt
12 dried mild red chiles (such as New Mexican), stems and seeds removed, torn into 2-inch pieces
For the ENCHILADAS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for the baking dish
2 medium onions, sliced into 1⁄4-inch rings
1 garlic clove, finely chopped Eight 8-inch flour tortillas
2 pounds large shrimp(12 to 15 per pound),peeled and deveined
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack (about 1 pound)
PROCEDURES:
1. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the stock, oregano, salt, and chiles. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust the heat so that the stock barely bubbles.
3. Purée the hot mixture in a blender; you may have do this in batches. Set the sauce aside. (Prepare the sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.)
4. To prepare the enchiladas, preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring often until the onions are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Place 1 tortilla on the work surface. Lay 3 shrimp neck to tail in the middle of the tortilla. Top with 1⁄3 cup of the shredded cheese and one-eighth of the onion and garlic mixture (about 2 tablespoons). Fold the bottom of the tortilla up over the filling, then roll up to create a sealed roll. Using both hands or a large spatula, carefully transfer the tortilla to the baking dish, placing it seam side down across one of the short ends.
7. Continue making the enchiladas and placing them in the pan one next to the other. They should fit snugly in the pan. (The dish can be made to this point up to 12 hours in advance. Store the dish and the sauce, separate and covered, in the refrigerator. Allow both to come to room temperature before proceeding.)
8. Pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas and scatter the remaining 11⁄3 cups shredded cheese evenly over the sauce.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and shrimp are cooked through. Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.
