Recipes

[just wonder]

Does anyone know if this can be assembled night before serving and refrigerated before cooking next day?  It has canned tiny shrimp and artificial crab meat and of course lots of cheese and milk.  Thank you!

[We rescue cats]

I wonder if it would get soggy?

[just wonder]

Oh that's a good point...hum...

[AuntG]

If it is made up and put in a casserole dish to be baked later, I'd say yes to making it ahead of time. 

[Travone]

@just wonder 

Can you share the recipe?   TIA

[inGeorgia]

If it's the recipe I remember. If you assemble it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight you chance the tortilla/ enchilada wraps absorbing too much liquid / sauce and becoming soggy. If it were me, I would reduce the amount of sauce you mix into the filling. Maybe put a little extra shredded cheese in the filling. Then store the rest of the sauce separately in the fridge. Before cooking poor the sauce over everything and then bake.

[Mz iMac]

@just wonder  Well Chi Chi is full of secrets.......

[rockygems123]

I made chicken verde enchiladas the other day and had a time crunch.  Considered assembling them the night before but figured they'd get soggy.

Had the chicken chopped ready to go, spices and anything else non refrigerated, didn't take long at all to roll them and then bake day of the event.  

[sabatini]

---

@Travone wrote:

@just wonder 

Can you share the recipe?   TIA

---

@TravoneI looked up the recipe for you, & found 2 versions. The 1st is probably the one used by @just wonder, & the 2nd is a slightly gussied-up version, as it uses fresh shrimp.

Enjoy, & thanks, @just wonder! 

CHI CHI'S SEAFOOD ENCHILADAS

INGREDIENTS 

6 tablespoons butter 

1⁄2 cup flour 

1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper 

2 tablespoons lobster base 

3 1⁄2 cups milk 

1 cup white wine or 1 cup dry sherry 

8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded 

1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp 

2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat, flake style 

10 (6 inch) thin flour tortillas

paprika

DIRECTIONS 

1. FOR THE SAUCE: Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. 

2. Add flour. 

3. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. 

4. Add 1/2 tsp white pepper. 

5. Stir in 2 tbsps lobster base and cook for an additional minute. 

6. Add milk & wine. 

7. Add 2 oz. of the cheese. 

8. Continue to cook until thickened. 

9. FOR THE CRAB MIX: Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab. 

10. Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl. 

11. Add 1.5 cups of sauce. 

12. Mix well. 

13. FOR THE ENCHILADAS: Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface. 

14. Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla

15. Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll. 

16. Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish. 

17. Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas. 

18. Top with remaining Monterey jack cheese. 

19. Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes.

In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven. 

20. Watch and do not allow to burn. 

21. Sprinkle with paprika.

Gussied-Up Version of same recipe:

chi chi's seafood enchiladas

ingredients 

For the shrimp:

• 15–20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (to yield one cup of chopped, cooked shrimp)
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
• ½ fresh lemon

For the filling:

• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons lobster base (I used Better Than Bouillon brand)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 6 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 2 (8-ounce) packages Imitation crab meat, flake style, chopped

For the enchiladas:

• 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Paprika for garnish
• Lime wedges for serving

instructions

To cook the shrimp:

Fill a large saucepan about ¾ full of water.

Add the Old Bay Seasoning, squeeze the lemon, and add it to the pot.

Bring the pot to a full rolling boil over high heat.

Turn off the heat and add the shrimp.

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and allow to sit for 4-5 minutes until the shrimp are opaque. 

Drain the shrimp in a colander and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking process.

When cool enough to handle, chop and set aside.

To make the sauce:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Sprinkle in the flour and mix into the butter.  Cook for 5 minutes, whisking constantly.

Stir in the white pepper, salt, and lobster base.  Cook for another minute.

Whisk in the milk, sour cream, and cream cheese cubes until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth – about 5 minutes.

Pour in the wine and add the cheese.  

Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and the cheese is melted – about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

To prepare the filling, combine the chopped shrimp and imitation crab meat in a medium bowl.  Pour 1 ½ cups of the over the seafood and stir to combine. 

To assemble the enchiladas:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 9X13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Spoon a thin layer of the reserved sauce into the bottom of the pan.  Set aside.

Lay a tortilla on a flat surface and spoon 3 heaping tablespoons of the filling down the center of the tortilla.  Fold the tortilla and then roll it up.

Place the enchilada seam side down into the pan.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with lime wedges.

[Desertdi]

The best Mexican restaurants around here...are "home cooking" with grandma in the kitchen!