"Fiesta Double Date Night"

Crab Nachos and Steak Tacos

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Nachos:  

1 pound lump crab or king leg meat, picked for cartilage and shell

1 T Old Bay Seasoning

1-2 t hot sauce

½ cup sour cream

3 ounces softened cream cheese (soften for about 20 seconds in the microwave)

1 Fresno chili pepper, minced

1 Jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, minced

½ cup minced chives or scallions

1 bag corn tortilla chips

12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 

12 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Toppings: celery leaves, finely chopped, pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped cilantro and/or parsley  

Tacos:

Sauce:

1 ½ cups Mexican crema

3 T chipotle paste or puree of chipotle in adobo

1 lime

Steak and to serve:

1 t EACH: cumin, coriander, smoked sweet paprika, garlic   

1 ½ pounds flank steak

Salt and pepper

Non-aerosol cooking spray

1 bunch scallions, trimmed of roots

3 heads radicchio, halved 

2 limes, halved  

16 soft corn tacos

3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

Pickled jalapeno rings, mild or hot

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 or turn on broiler with rack at center.  

Run your hands through the crab to check for shell and cartilage, season with Old Bay, hot sauce, add sour cream and cream cheese, add chilies and chives or scallions, combine. 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment and top tortilla chips evenly with crab then cheeses. Bake or broil until cheese is melted and bubbly brown.  Scatter celery tops, jalapeno rings and cilantro or parsley over top serve.    

Place sauce ingredients in food processor and combine, transfer to squeeze bottle with a funnel or into a serving bowl.

Mix spices for beef rub. Pat meat dry.  Cut the flank steak down the center horizontally then across, creating 4 portions, season with salt and pepper then season with spice rub.   

Heat a grill or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray pan with oil and cook steaks 8 minutes, turning occasionally, remove to rest.  Add scallions and spray, season with salt and pepper, char 2-3 minutes, remove.  Spray cut side of limes and lettuce and char 1-2 minutes cut side down.  Slice steaks against grain when ready to serve and top with juice of limes.  Coarsely chop the scallions and top steaks.  Shred radicchio and place alongside with toppings.  Pass the sauce.     

Char tortillas in dry skillet or over open flame and wrap in cloth napkin to keep warm.