Explore out-of-the way eateries while on vacation
Part of the fun of any vacation is trying new foods or exploring off-the-beaten path restaurants.
My late husband called my explorations tangents. He knew I was going to get us lost and, and, heaven knows, what the food offerings would be.
My daughter is so used to it that she just rolls with it now, and granddaughter Lilly thinks those side adventures are the norm.
As readers know, I am Texan through and through, and think the state has much to offer. On this recent trip, we played tourists some: Manned Space Center Houston, Kemah Boardwalk and the Pirate Museum in Galveston plus a ferry ride from Galveston to Bolivar.
That’s where I ate the best shrimp enchiladas ever.
The three enchiladas were filled with cheese (queso Chihuahua) and Gulf shrimp and covered in a ranchero sauce that was awesome, not hot, but flavorful. Try as I might, I only could eat two of the enchiladas as they were so large. I knew I would have to create a similar version when I got home. The enchiladas were too good not to have frequently.
On the return trip, I had to stop in Covington, Louisiana, at Panera Bread. My daughter had never eaten at Panera Bread, but has heard me rave over the soups and sandwiches on yummy breads. As usual, I found another soup that is a keeper, creamy wild rice and chicken soup. It was comforting and was a great accompaniment to the sliced apple, avocado and turkey sandwich half.
I knew I would try and re-create the soup recipe. It was not a bland soup, but neither was it spicy just long on flavor and comfort.
Today I thought I would share my efforts with readers.
The ranchero sauce is a combination between a heated salsa and enchilada sauce. I found a recipe at www.hispanickitchen.com/ that comes close to the one on the shrimp enchiladas.
For the enchiladas, I used corn tortillas, fresh sautéed shrimp, grated or thinly slice queso Chihuahua. I heat the tortillas in a cast-iron skillet with a little oil. This makes the tortillas pliable and easy to fill. I filled the tortillas with cheese on the bottom, shrimp on top and another layer of cheese on top. Roll up. Be sure to place filled enchiladas on top of a layer of ranchero sauce and then cover the enchiladas with more ranchero and minced cilantro.
RANCHERO SAUCE
5 Roma tomatoes
1 small white onion, quartered
4 dried New Mexico or guajillo chile peppers, stems and seeds removed
1 habanero pepper, optional
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
4 garlic cloves
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons flour
In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, dried peppers, fresh peppers, onion and garlic. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Drain the tomato mixture and transfer all to the blender. Add the spices and 2 cups of chicken broth. Blend on high until smooth. Preheat the 4 tablespoons of canola oil to medium heat for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Pour the sauce from the blender into the hot pan. Add the remaining chicken broth. Cook the sauce at a low simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, taste for salt and adjust seasonings.
Let the sauce cool. Completely before storing in an airtight container or freezing.
If you can’t find dried chile peppers, you can substitute with ¼ cup of mild chili powder instead. This recipe is spicy, so you may want to cut back on the number of peppers used.
If you don’t want to use flour, you could mix 4 tablespoons of masa harina with 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry. Add to simmering sauce until smooth. Reduce oil to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Canned tomatoes could be substituted for the fresh. Just make sure you cook the sauce a little longer to eliminate all the raw flavors of the tomato. This sauce works well for enchiladas, chiles rellenos, huevos rancheros, burritos and more.
– From www.hispanickitchen.com/
COPYCAT PANERA CREAM OF CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP
1 package (6 ounces) quick-cooking long grain and wild rice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cups light cream
Open rice, pull out seasoning packet and set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour and black pepper. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the contents of the seasoning packet and continue cooking the vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring to form a roux. Sauté roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir cream mixture into the broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and the rice is done. About 15 -20 minutes.
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