Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas with Chicken & Cheese)

Enchiladas verdes has been one of my all-time favorite dishes for almost my entire life. So, naturally, I am drawn to every version that I come across! I liked how this version included cheese in the filling rather than melted over the top. These enchiladas were also extra saucy- loved it.

This recipe was adapted from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street magazine. I used poached chicken thighs but rotisserie chicken meat could be used as a shortcut.

We ate the enchiladas garnished with chopped onion and cilantro with rice and refried beans on the side. I cooked the rice in the chicken poaching liquid which made it extra flavorful. Great.

Yield: 4 servings (8 enchiladas)

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 medium-large poblano chilies (about 12 to 14 oz), stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, cored, and chopped
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, plus an additional 2 cups if poaching the chicken
• 1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, rinsed and dried, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless chicken (I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs) (or 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken)
• 6 oz Monterey jack or whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 T hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatío (I used Chipotle Cholula- my favorite)
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• lime wedges, to serve, optional
• sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with about 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook until the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees for thighs or 160 degrees for breasts, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the chicken cool in the liquid until just warm, then finely chop the meat. Reserve the cooking liquid. (Alternatively, 1 1/2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken meat can be substituted.)
2. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack in the center position.
3. In a large pot over medium-high, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil, the chopped poblanos, cored & chopped tomatillos, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have completely softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Add the cilantro and continue to process until smooth, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish; set aside. (I used 4 individual enameled cast iron serving dishes, placing 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of each dish.)
9. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cheese, hot sauce, 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
10. Brush both sides of the tortillas with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet (its fine to overlap them slightly). Cover tightly with foil and warm in the oven just until soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. (This step is important in order to make sure that the tortillas are pliable enough to fill and roll.)
11. Uncover the tortillas; reserve the foil. Lay the tortillas out on a large cutting board (or 2) or a clean counter.
12. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas (about 3 heaping tablespoons each), arranging the filling in a line along the bottom edge of each tortilla. (I used a 3 T cookie scoop.)
13. Working one at a time, roll up the tortillas to enclose the filling and place seam side down in a tight row down the center of the prepared baking dish. (or 2 enchiladas per individual baking dish)
14. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas. (or 2 T per individual baking dish)
15. Cover tightly with a layer of parchment paper topped with the reserved foil. Bake until the cheese begins to melt out of the ends, about 15 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of chicken poaching liquid, if desired. (I used white Basmati rice.) (I also warmed refried beans at this point.)
17. Uncover and spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. (or about 2 T per individual baking dish) Re-cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
18. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream or Mexican crema, garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, as desired.

Poblano, Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

Recently, my friend gave me beautiful cast iron baking dishes. I knew that I wanted to make enchiladas in them right away! Our Cinco de Mayo feast was the perfect occasion. Our meal also included chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

The recipe for these hearty, vegetarian enchiladas was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions and method. We ate them garnished with sour cream, red onion, avocado, and cilantro with refried beans and rice on the side. We topped off our festive meal with a Tres Leches Cake. Perfect.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I used a food processor)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving, optional
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely grated mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas (I used Trader Joe’s corn & wheat tortillas)
• fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
• sliced avocado, for serving, optional
• diced white or red onion, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. (I used the convection setting.)
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions and chopped poblano chile; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cumin and minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and chipotle chile. (I used a Vitamix.) Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)(I omitted the sour cream in the sauce.)
5. Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer (or on a plate) covered with a damp paper towel. Cover and microwave for 1 minute, or until warm and pliable.
7. If using individual dishes, spread a few spoonfuls of sauce over the bottom of each dish. (I used 5 dishes.) Alternatively, pour enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the base of a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread it to cover the bottom of the dish(es).
8. Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish(es), seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (I placed 2 enchiladas per individual dish.)
9. Spoon or pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
10. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheese, to taste. (I used 1/2 cup cheese per dish.)
11. Place the baking dish(es) on a rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
12. Remove foil and continue to bake until the cheese has melted and has browned in spots, about 10 additional minutes.
13. Top with sour cream, avocado slices, diced onion, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Note: The sauce and the black bean mixture (without the cheese) can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The spice level in the sauce can be easily modified by adjusting the amount of chili powder.

Shortcut Vegetarian Enchiladas with Butternut Squash & Black Beans

This crowd-pleasing casserole uses store bought enchilada sauce as a shortcut. I peeled and cut a butternut squash, but using pre-cut squash would be another easy shortcut. It was a wonderful vegetarian dish.

This recipe was adapted from Skinnytaste.com. I modified the proportions, used Monterey Jack cheese, and substituted corn tortillas for flour tortillas. I served the enchiladas with brown Basmati rice, refried beans, and Trader Joe’s Mexican street corn. Great!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 12 oz bottle of enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash, cut 1/2-inch-dice
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 10 oz can “original” Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 corn tortillas (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 scallions, sliced, for garnish
• sour cream, for serving, optional (low-fat okay)
• brown Basmati rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, preferably on convection.
2. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. (I used a ceramic 9×13-inch baking dish.)
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant.
4. Add cubed butternut squash, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water, cilantro, cumin and chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. (Add more water if the mixture looks dry.)
5. At the end of the cooking time for the filling, steam the tortillas. Place the corn tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a plate and place a damp paper towel on top. Cover tightly (using plastic wrap if using a plate), and microwave for approximately 1 minute, or until they are warm and pliable. Keep covered until ready to fill.
6. Place a generous 1/4 cup filling in the center of each tortilla and roll to close, placing in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling. (I used a dry measuring cup to ration the filling.)
7. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
8. Bake, covered with foil until the sauce is bubbling and hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Top with scallions and cilantro. Serve with sour cream, rice, and/or refried beans, as desired.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

Somehow, we seem to always have a conflict with a having timely Cinco de Mayo feast. This year, my son has his Swim Club Dinner Dance (at an Italian restaurant, by the way), so, we had our feast early. This way, there is also time to have a second feast. Good planning, right?

This quick and easy, crowd-pleasing dish was perfect for our early Cinco de Mayo celebration. It would be perfect for a Mexican-inspired weeknight meal any other day of the year too. We enjoyed it with chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

This recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com, contributed by Anna Stockwell. I reduced the oven temperature, and increased the proportions as well as the pan size. Great.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 24 oz (1 1/2 jars) medium red salsa (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle Salsa)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 6 corn tortillas, torn into quarters
• 6 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 to 2 cans (15.5-ounce each) black beans, drained, rinsed (I used 1 1/2 cans)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• cilantro, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425°F, preferably on convection.
2. Combine salsa, sour cream, and 6 T water in a large bowl; stir to combine. Fold in tortillas, chicken, and beans until thoroughly coated.
3. Heat oil in a 12″ ovenproof skillet over medium. (I used cast iron.)
4. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer onion mixture to the chicken and bean mixture; reserve hot skillet. Fold to incorporate evenly.
6. Return mixture to reserved skillet and transfer to preheated oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Mixture should be bubbling on the edges.
7. Remove skillet from the oven. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
8. Return skillet to oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, melted and bubbling, about 7 to 10 minutes.
9. Top with cilantro, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken-Chipotle Tacos

Two Years Ago:

• Shrimp & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes
• Creamy Poblano & Ancho Chicken Tacos: Mix & Match Fillings
• Mexican-Style Chicken over Penne

Four Years Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken Tinga Tacos
• Rick Bayless’ Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
• Creamy Chicken and Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos or Pollo a la Crema con Quelites, Chile Poblano Asado

Easy Enchilada Pie

My son’s third grade teacher told the class that they each needed to know three recipes by heart before going to college. What good advice! 😉 Besides a good vinaigrette, this one might make the list! 🙂 It’s an easy crowd pleaser.

This recipe is also quick… super super fast. 🙂 It initially caught my eye because it included a “2-minute” enchilada sauce (as well as a lot of ingredients from Trader Joe’s!). We were not disappointed. It was a perfect, comforting, and family friendly weeknight meal. I especially loved the sauce. This recipe was adapted from Feasting at Home. I added an additional layer of tortillas as well as cheese to the top. Now I need to teach my kids how to make it! 🙂

For the 2-Minute Enchilada Sauce:

• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)(Trader Joe’s!)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ¼-½ tsp chipotle chile powder, to taste (or add a canned chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, and/or cayenne for heat)
• 1 ½ tsp coarse salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried oregano

1. Add all of the ingredients to a Vitamix (or blender) and blend until smooth.

To Complete the Enchilada Pie:

• 2-Minute Enchilada Sauce
• 12-14 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 15-oz cans seasoned black beans (like Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Black Beans)
• 16 oz bag frozen fire roasted corn (Trader Joe’s) or other roasted vegetables
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Mexican style cheese or blend (I used Monterey Jack)
• 4 ounce can green chilies, preferably fire roasted (Trader Joe’s)
• cilantro, to taste as well as additional chopped cilantro for garnish
• diced avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, as desired for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. In the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread out a scant amount of the enchilada sauce- just enough to lightly coat the bottom. (I used an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
3. Spread 4-5 tortillas on top of the sauce.
4. Drain one can of seasoned beans, and spread out over the tortillas. (Drain well!)
5. Spread out half of the frozen roasted corn.
6. Spread out 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
7. Scatter ½ of the canned green chilies and a little chopped cilantro.
8. Spread a second layer of 4-5 tortillas over the mixture.
9. Then repeat with another can of drained seasoned beans. (cooked chicken, chorizo,or ground meat can be substituted, if desired)
10. Top with rest of the corn, the cheese, the chilies and cilantro.
11. Drizzle with ⅓ of the enchilada sauce and top with 4-5 more tortillas.
12. Spread the remaining sauce over the tortillas.
13. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Uncover, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake 8 to 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
15. Garnish with diced avocado, and cilantro. Cut into servings and serve with sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Corn Queso Fundido

Two Years Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Classic Mexican Fried Beans with Onions & Garlic

Three Years Ago:

• Enchiladas Suizas
• Classic Applesauce

If you like this you may also like:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes
• Summer Vegetable Tortilla Casserole

Greens & Chayote Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

These wonderful, vegetarian, no-bake enchiladas claimed to be light and satisfying- a pretty accurate description! Perfect warm weather Mexican fare. Fresh and fabulous. 🙂 This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Martha Rose Shulman.

Inspired by my food blog friends who have made their own birthday cakes, etc., I made this dish for my own birthday dinner!! I prepared the filling a day in advance (no work on the big day!) and we ate them after a relaxing day in the sunshine. My husband made my favorite Huevos Rancheros for breakfast (I am obviously a Mexican-food lover), and I was greeted with a surprise birthday cake from my girlfriend when I got home! ❤ What a great day! Maybe getting older isn’t so awful….

I’m bringing my special dish to share at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #74 (belatedly, again…), co-hosted by Loretta @Safari of the Mind and Caroline @Caroline’s Cooking. As another surprise birthday gift, my dish from Fiesta Friday #73 was featured this week! Yay!! Check it out & Enjoy! 🙂

Yield: Serves 8

• 1 pound Swiss or rainbow chard, or a combination
  
• 2 medium-size chayote or summer squash (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut in small dice (4 cups diced)
  
• 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  
• 2 jalapeño or 2 to 3 serrano chiles, stemmed
  
• ½ white onion, coarsely chopped
  
• coarse salt to taste
  
• 4 large peeled garlic cloves; 2 whole and 2 minced
  
• 12 cilantro sprigs, plus chopped cilantro for garnish
  
• 1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
  
• 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  
• freshly ground black pepper
  
• 18 corn tortillas
  
• About 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta

1. Peel and dice the chayote squash.
2. Strip chard leaves from stems and wash in 2 changes of water. Keep leaves whole.
3. Rinse chard stems and cut in small dice if wide, or, if thin, slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. (I cut my wide stems into thin strips and then sliced all of them crosswise 1/4 inch thick.) Set aside stems with chayote in one bowl and leaves in another.
4. Make the salsa verde: Combine tomatillos, jalapeños and onion in a large saucepan or Dutch oven; cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, until tomatillos have gone from pale green to olive and have softened. Using a slotted spoon or a Chinese strainer, transfer tomatillos, onion and one of the jalapeños to a blender. (I used a Vitamix!) Do not drain water from pot. Let vegetables cool in the blender while you blanch greens and chayote.
5. Add more water to the pot so it is about 2/3 full. Return to a boil, salt generously, and add the chard leaves. Blanch until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer leaves to a bowl of cold (ice) water to quickly shock, then drain and dry. Chop coarsely and set aside.
6. Return water to a simmer and add chayote and chard stems. Simmer 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain through a colander and again on paper towels.
7. Add whole garlic cloves and cilantro sprigs to ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Taste for heat and add remaining jalapeño if desired. (I only used one jalapeño- and the salsa had quite a kick!)
8. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add tomatillo purée and partly cover to protect from splattering. Cook, stirring often, until it thickens and begins to stick to the pan, about 5 minutes.
9. Stir in stock, add salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring often, until sauce is thick and coats the front and back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
10. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat and add minced garlic. When fragrant, after about 30 seconds, stir in oregano, blanched and chopped leaves, stems, and chayote. Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes, until tender, fragrant and coated with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup salsa verde and set aside.
11. Place tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel and cover with warmer lid, or with plastic wrap if using a plate. Microwave on high for 1 minute. (Alternatively: Prepare the tortillas: Heat 1/3 cup canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, until oil bubbles around the edges of a tortilla when you dip it into the pan. Place a platter covered with paper towels next to pan. Using tongs, slide tortillas, one at a time, into hot oil. As soon as tortilla begins to puff, about 10 to 15 seconds, flip over and leave another 10 to 15 seconds. Immediately remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Cover with foil to keep warm.)
12. One by one, quickly dip tortillas into the remaining warm salsa verde, lay on serving platter, and top with about 1/4 cup filling. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down on platter. When all tortillas have been filled, pour remaining salsa verde on top, sprinkle with cilantro and queso fresco (or feta) and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes

Two Years Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken Tinga Tacos
• Mexican Scrambled Egg & Bacon NYSSMA Celebration Tacos

Shrimp & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Tomato Sauce

We had a crisis situation in our house this year… my husband had to work on Cinco de Mayo. 😦 We more than made up for it by eating these delicious no-bake enchiladas on Seis de Mayo! We also had our absolute favorite tacos (Creamy Chicken & Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos) the next night as well- if you must know. 🙂

There was something really special about this dish. It was really restaurant quality. It may have been the richness of the sauce, cooking the shrimp in butter…the combination?! It was really very good.

This recipe was adapted from Pati Jinich, via The Chew. We ate it with chips and guacamole, brown Basmati rice, and refried beans. A perfect belated celebration. (& belated post!) Perfect for Fiesta Friday #70– co-hosted by Dini @ Giramuk’s  Kitchen and Mollie @ The Frugal Haufstrau!! (but also a little belated…)

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes
  
• 2 garlic cloves
  
• 2 Serrano or jalapeno chiles
  
• 1/4 cup white onion (chopped)
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (divided)
  
• 1 cup seafood or chicken stock
  
• 1 cup Mexican cream (creme fraiche, Latin style cream, or heavy cream,) plus more for garnish
  
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
  
• 3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil (divided)
  
• 12 corn tortillas
  
• 1 pound large shrimp (drained, cut into 3-4 pieces)
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1 ripe avocado (diced, plus more for garnish)
  
• 1/2 cup queso fresco, farmer’s cheese or mild feta (crumbled)
  
• chopped chives or cilantro, for garnish

1. To Make the Sauce: place tomatoes, garlic and chiles in a medium saucepan, cover with water. Place over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked through and soft.
   
2. Place tomatoes, garlic and one of the chiles in the blender (I used a Vitamix.) along with chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, grated nutmeg and 1 cup stock. Purée the ingredients until completely smooth, taste and add the other chile if you would like more heat. (I only used one.)
   
3. Rinse and dry saucepan, pour a tablespoon of oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, pour pureed tomato sauce and cover partially with a lid. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, and deepens its color to a much darker red. Remove lid, reduce heat to medium-low and add creme fraiche. Stir and keep at a steady low simmer for about 8 to 10 more minutes, until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
   
4. To Heat the Tortillas: Heat them on an already hot comal or skillet set over medium-low heat, for a minute or so per side, until tortillas have lightly browned. Alternatively, “pass them through hot oil”: heat enough oil to reach 1/2-inch deep in a medium sauté pan, over medium heat until hot. Gently glide each tortilla through the oil, for about 10 to 15 seconds on each side, so they completely heat through, lightly fluff and change color. Transfer the tortillas to a paper towel-covered plate. Alternatively, place on a microwave safe-plate or tortilla warmer with lid. Cover with a damp paper towel and either a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Keep warm.
   
5. To Make the Filling: Heat one tablespoon of the oil and one tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet set over high heat. Once very hot but not smoking, add the shrimp and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring a few times. The shrimp should be cooked, a bit browned but crisp and plump on the inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl. Mix with the diced avocado.
   
6. To Assemble the Enchiladas: One by one glide each prepared tortilla through the sauce. Place on a plate, spoon about 3 tablespoons of the shrimp and avocado mixture in the middle and fold as in a quesadilla. Place on individual plates or a platter and continue with rest of the tortillas, laying each one gently on top of the edge of the other. Once you are done, generously spoon more of the tomato sauce on top. Garnish with chives and crumbled cheese.

One Year Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Red Mole Enchiladas with Shredded Chicken
• Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

Two Years Ago:

• No-Bake Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Smoky Tomatillo Salsa
• Creamy Chicken & Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos
• Rick Bayless’ Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese, and Red Chile