Oregon Dungeness Crab Quesadilla with Apple Jicama Slaw

Created by Chef Bob Neroni, EVOO Cooking School in Cannon Beach, Ore.

Quesadilla-Taco
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
butter, as needed
2-4 chipotle peppers in Adobo*, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
3 tablespoons garlic paste, about 10 cloves
1 pound Dungeness crab meat
6 green onions, sliced, tops only
2 red bell peppers, julienne
8 small corn tortillas
8 ounces farmer’s goat cheese, such as Fraga
1 avocado, sliced
cilantro, as needed (e.g., 8 sprigs)
Garniture Slaw
1 jicama root bulb, julienne
2 granny smith apples, julienne with skin on
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ red onion, sliced
1 taplespoon lime juice
sea salt, to taste
ground coriander, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
Method – Quesadilla-Taco:
Pick and drain crab meat into bowl – set aside.
Heat olive oil and butter over moderate heat and add chipotle. Cook until aromatic; add cumin and garlic; cook additional minute. Remove from heat. Add crab meat, tossing to lightly coat crabmeat and take the chill off. Toss in green onions and bell peppers to combine; set aside.
Place tortillas, one at a time, in fry pan with small amount of olive oil and butter to coat and warm tortilla; fill each with 2-3 ounces of the crab mixture; top with cheese and avocado. Fold over and cook to melt cheese and crisp tortilla. Remove to plate and garnish with cilantro sprigs and slaw.
Method – Slaw:
Toss jicama and apples together. Add cilantro and red onion. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lime juice onto slaw; add seasonings. Serve as garniture salad with quesadilla.
Makes 4 servings of 2 quesadillas or 8 appetizer portions.