Guacamole enchiladas are something Dan & I came up with when we were still living over on Capitol Hill, and they're so quick and easy to make, they've become a favorite. But each time we make them, we tend to do something a little different - like adding shrimp or crab, changing the sauce or the cheeses used, or adding something else as a filling. Tonight, inspired by my TGRWT experiments, I decided to take a look at FoodPairing.be for what might pair well with Avocado.
Looking at the chart of possible pairings, I saw some expected items like chicken and some off the wall things like fresh cut grass, but I zeroed in on three ingredients that we had around: Walnuts, Basil and Olive Oil.
I decided to create a pesto (of sorts) using these three ingredients, and add it as a filling with the guacamole and some onions and garlic, both to add complexity of flavor to the dish, but also to add some protein. I chopped up garlic and onion and cooked it until translucent in some olive oil, adding in cumin, salt, pepper, and chili pepper to get some classic Mexican flavors incorporated into the dish. Then I tossed a few handfuls of walnuts, and a bunch of basil in the food processor, and began pulsing it as a added a little olive oil. Pesto often includes Parmesan cheese, so I decided to add a bit of the Pepper Jack I'd be putting on top of the enchiladas, which was a great addition - making the pesto more smooth, and sneaking a little cheese inside the enchiladas, too. Finally, I warmed some tortillas, spread a little of the pesto inside, sprinkled in some onion mixture, and squirted a little guac in, rolled them up, and placed them in an 8x8 inch Pyrex baking dish. I poured half a jar of tomatillo salsa on top, sprinkled the rest of the pepper jack over it, and popped in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
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