I'm starting the month with an idea that was inspired by the old Utne Reader (I think they've changed the name over the years.) Who knows how long my "schtick" will last, but here goes: I'll pick a topic upon which I'll post different little blurbs every day or so, maybe including a recipe, if I can work it into the topic. My beginning topic, (taking my blog title into consideration): SIMPLE.

Simple

“Simple.” He points to a burnt steak sitting on a platter between us. There are others in the room, but his words are directed at me. “The best food is simple. You don’t have to make those complicated recipes you make. Yeah, sure they taste good, but you don’t have to fuss so much to make a great meal.” He picks up an overcooked mini sweetcorn cob, that two hours previously sat firm and juicy in his freezer and now has been reduced to near mush.  He waves it near my face and repeats, “Simple.” I put the back of my fist to my mouth, furrow my brow, nodding as if I’m actually taking his words to heart, but it’s more to keep the corners of my mouth from turning up, thus revealing the humor I find in his words as I recall a recent evening when he devoured my crabmeat enchiladas verde and begged for the leftovers. “Yup,” he says emphatically, putting down the corn “Simple.”

Rae's Crabmeat Enchiladas

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup finely sliced onion

1/4 to 1/2 tsp bottle hot sauce (to taste)

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

a sprinkling of seasoned salt and garlic powder

pinch of sugar

1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

4 ounces cream cheese, room temp.

3/4 cup grated monterey jack cheese

1/2 pound crabmeat, picked over

10 -12 medium flour or corn tortillas

1 cup good quality enchilada verde sauce (I like Frontera’s)

2-3 tomatillos

clove of garlic

one chipotle pepper (I scrape out the hot seeds, since I’m looking for gentle heat & don’t wish to overpower the seafood) in adobo sauce (I freeze the rest of the peppers and sauce)

For the filling:

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil.  Then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season the onions with hot sauce, salts, pepper, garlic powder & sugar. Cook for 1 minute more. Stir in shrimp with a pinch each of salt and pepper and other seasonings & cook & stir, just until shrimp are opaque, 1 minute or so. Blend in 1/2 cup of the monterey cheese and let it sit a minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool.

To the cooled shrimp mixture, add the cream cheese & crab. Stir very gently to combine, taste and season as needed with additional above mentioned seasonings. Let sit while you “doctor” the bought enchilada sauce.

Sauce:

Roast tomatillos, & garlic clove in the broiler, for a couple of minutes or until just beginning to brown and soften. Turn once and cook for another minute. Let cool a bit, then peel garlic clove and put in a blender or food processor with the chipotle pepper, dripping a bit with adobo sauce. Blend and add to the purchased enchilada verde sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Warm the tortillas in a separate frypan or in the microwave, so they are soft and pliable. On a work surface place 2 tablespoons or so of filling onto the end of each tortilla. Roll up and place, seam side down, into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the combined enchilada sauce and spread the mixture over the enchiladas. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of monterey jack and bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes or just until tops are ever so lightly browned and bubbly.