Dungeness Crab Enchiladas

Photo: Victor Panichkul

Ingredients

The meat from 2 steamed Dungeness crabs

12 corn tortillas

24 ounces (680 gr.) of queso fresco (Mexican white cheese)

1 yellow onion, sliced thinly

1 chopped tomato

3 tablespoons (30-45 ml.) canola oil

2 smalls green jalapeños, seeds removed and sliced into pieces

1 tablespoon (15 ml.) Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon (5 ml.) ground cumin

For the beans

2 tablespoons (30 ml.) canola oil

15 ounces (1.3 kg) cans of Ranch Style beans

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 green jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped

For the sauce

2 pints (½ l.) heavy whipping cream

3 dried ancho chili peppers

1 head garlic

1 teaspoon (5 ml.) salt

Preparation

Preparing the sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 C). Slice off the top of the head of garlic and rub the entire head with oil. Place in an oven-safe dish or pan and roast for 10-15 minutes. After roasting, squeeze the bottom of the head of garlic and the flesh should all pop out the sliced top. Put all of the roasted garlic flesh in a blender, along with the heavy cream.

Fill a small saucepan with 3-4 cups (710-950 ml.) of water and bring to a boil. Turn flame down to a simmer and put in the dried ancho chili peppers and simmer for 15 minutes until the peppers are soft. Turn off the heat and let cool in the liquid. Keep the liquid from the saucepan.

When the peppers are cool, slice open the chilis and discard the stems and seeds. Put the remainder of the chilis into the blender.

Spoon 8 ounces (240 ml.) of the chili liquid from the saucepan into the blender.

Add salt to blender.

Blend until smooth and set aside.

To cook the beans

In a medium saucepan, sauté the chopped yellow onion until translucent.

Add the chopped jalapeños.

Add the 3 cans of beans. Stir well to mix. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 15 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

To assemble enchiladas

Oil a large rectangular oven-safe baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C).

In a skillet, sauté the sliced yellow onions and jalapeños in the oil until onions are translucent. Add cumin and Mexican oregano and stir until mixed thoroughly. Turn off heat and set aside

Crumble the queso fresco into pieces (like the consistency of crumbled goat cheese).

Microwave the tortillas for 1 minute to make them soft so they won’t crack or, alternatively, brush them with oil and heat them in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until soft.

Assemble the enchiladas one at a time by filling each with the sauteed onions and jalapeños, some crab meat, some queso fresco, some tomatoes, and then roll and arrange in baking dish.

Spoon some of the beans over the tops of the assembled enchiladas, sprinkle some queso fresco on the top and bake for 15 minutes.

While the enchiladas are baking, in a small saucepan heat the ancho chili cream sauce over a low flame, taking care not to let it boil and separate.

When the enchiladas are done baking, pour some of the ancho chili cream sauce over them, garnish with any remaining chopped tomatoes and some chopped cilantro.

Serve enchiladas with the remaining beans as a side dish.