Shrimp and Tomatillo Quesadillas
The best American name for this vegetable would probably be “Mexican green tomato”, but they actually taste nothing like regular tomatoes, In fact, the tomatillo is not a tomato at all. The tomatillo has a tart, lemony flavor that is enhance when cooked (especially roasted) and is an excellent base for salsas. While salsa (salsa verde) is the most popular way to enjoy tomatillo, they can be used in other ways. Tomatillos contain high amounts of vitamin A&C. Tomatillos are our #2 sales item!
Ingredients:
2 red bell peppers
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil plus extra for pans
6 (10″) flour tortillas
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups packed, grated Monterrey Jack cheese with jalapenos
1 cup packed, grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 medium tomatillos, husked, thinly sliced
Instructions:
Char the bell peppers until blackened. Remove from the heat and enclose them in a paper bag, let stand for 10 minutes. Peel, seed and cut the peppers into 1/4″ strips. Set aside.
Toss the shrimp with 1 Tbsp. of oil. Broil the shrimp on a baking sheet until they are opaque in the center. Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Put them in a bowl.
On baking sheets brushed with oil place 2 tortillas on 1 sheet and 1 on the other. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro over each tortilla, then 1/3 cup of each cheese. Arrange the 8 tomatillo slices on the cheese, then the bell pepper strips and shrimp. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and top with the remaining 3 tortillas, pressing lightly to adhere. Brush the tops with oil.
Bake until the cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges and serve.
Yields 4 servings.