COMMENT:
Although quesadillas are Spanish and Southwest in origin, they were
a natural addition to Creole country. The Spanish had control of
the city of New Orleans in the late 1700s, and many of their cooking
techniques are a major part of Creole cuisine today.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound fresh crawfish tails
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tbsps minced garlic
- ½ pound wild oyster mushrooms
- ½ pound sliced button mushrooms
- ½ pound Chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsps chopped cilantro
- 1 cup diced Creole tomatoes
- ½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp Creole seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
- hot sauce to taste
- 8 large tortilla shells
- 1 pound grated Monterey Jack cheese
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. You may wish to substitute shrimp,
crab or even chicken if crawfish is unavailable in your area. In
a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add
green onions, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté 3-5 minutes or
until mushrooms are wilted. Add crawfish, thyme, cilantro, tomatoes
and bell peppers. Continue to sauté until juices are rendered
and liquids have almost completely evaporated, approximately 10
minutes. Season to taste using Creole seasoning, salt, pepper and
hot sauce. Place the tortilla shells on a large cookie sheet and
sprinkle with a small amount of Monterey Jack cheese. Top with a
portion of the crawfish stuffing and more of the Monterey Jack cheese.
Fold each tortilla in half and bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese
is melted and tortillas are slightly crisp but not over-browned.
NOTE: The quesadillas may be
pan sautéed in a hot skillet that has been sprayed with a
small amount of vegetable spray. Be careful not to over-brown.
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