Shrimp Enchilada in Creamy Papaya and Habanero Sauce
Habanero chile, aside from bursting with heat, has a floral and sweet flavor profile that blends naturally with mango and papaya. I use flavors of tropical Mexico – papaya fruit, limes and chile habanero for my sauce. Shrimp is cooked in shallots, butter and lime juice.
The largest producer of habanero peppers is the state of Yucatan, Mexico . For over 5000 years the indigenous people of southern Mexico favor habanero ‘chilli’ (‘chilli’ is the náhuatl word for hot peppers). There are many claims to techniques as to how to reduce the “heat” of the habanero for the purpose of enjoying the essence of this pepper without setting your face on fire. It’s best to use rubber gloves when cutting open these peppers. The easiest method to tame habanero is to remove the pith that holds the seeds and runs along the sides of the pepper (veins). I used ½ roasted habanero for 4 cups of sauce. This technique coaxed out enough of both the habanero’s floral sweetness and its trademark burn, giving me the right level of heat. Refer to my “Notes” at the bottom of this blog for description of two other methods that can tame down super hot levels of capsinoids (chemical compounds).
Let’s get started.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10 enchiladas
Shrimp
1 lb of peeled shrimp, tail removed and chopped ½ inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup finely diced shallots about 2 oz
1 clove garlic diced
¼ teaspoon of finely diced habanero
2 limes juiced
Salt
Sauce
makes 4 cups
1 lb of ripened papaya, seeded, peeled and chopped
½ habanero pepper diced, seeded, pith and veins removed, then roasted.
1 lime juiced
½ cup half and half milk
Salt
Enchilada
8-10 corn tortillas
4 tablespoons cotija cheese finely grated (substitute parmesan)
⅓ cup lime zest for garnish
8 oz sour cream
Preparation
Sauce
Using an electric blender, liquify the papaya and habanero.. Add the puree to a bowl. Thin out with ½ and ½ milk to a consistency of thin pancake batter. Introduce lime juice and salt to taste.
Shrimp
At medium heat, sauté, in olive oil, shallots 2-3 minutes until transparent and soft. Add garlic and ¼ teaspoon of finely diced habanero and stir for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté for about 3 minutes occasionally stirring until the shrimp is slightly pink . Salt to taste.
Assemble Enchiladas
Place 4 tablespoons of sauce on a dinner plate. Using a “comal” or pancake griddle, heat a tortilla on each side sufficiently to make the tortilla pliable so it’s easy to roll. Place a tortilla over the sauced plate and rotate in a circular motion to coat the bottom side of the tortilla uniformly with sauce. Add another tablespoon or two of sauce on the open face of the tortilla and spread the sauce evenly. Place 2 full tablespoons of the shrimp filling on the tortilla about ½ inch from the edge and roll the tortilla tightly. Lay the assembled enchilada seam facing down on a serving plate or tray.
Prior to serving, spread more sauce on top of each enchilada, warm them in the oven or microwave then over each enchilada generously sprinkle cotija cheese, then sprinkle lime zest to garnish and top with sour cream.
Note
In the two following methods described to reduce the heat of the habanero, I removed the seeds, pith that holds the seeds and scraped the vertical veins that run down the insides of the pepper. In my first methods, I got limited results of heat reduction by soaking habaneros in tequila for several hours. In my unscientific estimate, I reduced the heat level to that of a serrano pepper. I obtained better results by a method developed at the University of Davis. I soaked the peppers in 1 part sugar and 9 parts water for several hours and obtained better results.
Buen Provecho
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