Meatless Friday: Shrimp Enchiladas

Editor's Note: Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce a dear friend and great cook, Allison Arend. Ali is the friend I call when I need help in the kitchen and not only does she offer help via text and phone, she also saves her laughing at me until we hang up (though I suspect maybe she doesn't laugh!). She's agreed to share some meatless recipes with us here, and we're so very grateful for that. And if any of you want to try this and bring some over, you just let me know. :) -Sarah

These shrimp enchiladas have a mild rice filling. You can turn up the heat if you want by adding jalepenos in the cream sauce.

Shrimp Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
One 4 ounce can of diced mild green chiles
¼ teaspoon of oregano
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
8 (6 inch) corn or flour tortillas
2 cups of shredded Colby Jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 ½ cups of chicken stock or fish stock
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon of garlic powder or 3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or 1 tablespoon dried
Dash of cayenne pepper or, if you want to add some spicy heat, 1 -2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, toss shrimp with one tablespoon of olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Spread shrimp on baking sheet so none are touching and roast until cooked through, about 6 -8 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat second tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is slightly translucent. Remove from heat and add canned chiles, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix and then add rice and mix again gently to combine. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and broth. Then, in large saucepan, heat butter and sauté garlic for a minute or two. Add broth mixture and mix in sour cream. Heat on medium heat until sauce has thickened. When thickened, remove from heat and add cayenne (or jalapeño) and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put enchiladas together by placing about a ¼ cup of rice mixture on a tortilla. Place three to four shrimp on top of rice and then sprinkle with a ¼ cup of cheese. Roll tortilla and place in baking dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Note: Corn tortillas can be hard to roll. You can heat them up a little to make them more pliable, but I just fold them and let them tear.

If you have left over rice mixture, just place it in the dish around filled tortillas.

Pour cream sauce over enchiladas and bake covered until heated through, about 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Photo copyright Allison Arend (2015). All rights reserved.

About the Author: Allison Arend is a Catholic wife and mom of four young girls. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and sitting around the dinner table with her family.