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
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup green onions, sliced
- 2 tbsps garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound wild oyster mushrooms
- 1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 pound Chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsps cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup Creole tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 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 a local
seafood such as shrimp or 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 to
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 1/2 and bake 7 to 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. |
