Tacos will always have a special place in my heart. Days where I can try new taco flavors and combinations are always the best days. Now that we are nearing summer and warmer weather is upon us, I’ve transitioned my tacos to more lighter fillings like seafood or veggies. Crabmeat on tacos almost never disappoint. And I stand by my crabmeat philosophy that where there is crabmeat, very few other ingredients are needed. I am a firm believer in cherishing the flavor of crabmeat with little to no distracting or competing flavors.
This taco uses lump crabmeat that is simply browned over the stove in butter and sprinkled with salt. The other flavors are very delicate – a simple, scorched heirloom tomato and a light and mild chile de árbol salsa with fresh arugula for some greenery.
Lump Crabmeat Tacos with Chile de Árbol & Pine Nut Salsa
This taco uses lump crabmeat that is simply browned over the stove in butter and sprinkled with salt. The other flavors are very delicate – a simple, scorched heirloom tomato and a light and mild chile de árbol salsa with fresh arugula for some greenery.
Ingredients
- About 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 large tomato quartered)
- ¼ cup white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, halved or cut into large pieces
- 3 chiles de árbol, torn into smaller pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Heirloom tomatoes, cut into thick slices (about 1 heirloom tomato for every 4 to 5 tacos)
- 16 ounces lump crabmeat
- Sea salt, to taste
- 12 to 15 corn tortillas (handmade corn tortillas preferred)
- Fresh arugula
Instructions
- To make the chile de árbol & pine nut salsa: Heat tomatoes and onion over medium-high heat in a dry skillet for about 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and chiles de árbol and heat for another minute – no longer or the garlic and chiles may become bitter. Combine in a blender or food processor and blend adding the olive oil while blending. Blend in pine nuts for about 5 to 10 seconds until the salsa is smooth. Transfer to a serving dish or container and set aside.
- Without cleaning the skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over high heat. Lay slices of heirloom tomatoes in the melted butter and cook for about 45 seconds to a minute until the tomatoes have begun to brown/scorch. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of butter over medium heat and, working in batches if needed, brown lump crab meat for about 2 minutes. Salt to taste. Remove from heat while you build the taco.
- In a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, heat corn tortillas over medium heat for 30 second to a minute on each side until warm. Build each taco with an heirloom tomato slice, an ounce of crabmeat, a scant spoonful of chile de árbol & pine nut salsa, and torn pieces of baby arugula. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste.
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