Cracked Crab Enchiladas

In the winter, Oregon's bounty is Dungeness Crab. There are so many delectable ways to prepare it and these cracked crab enchiladas are phenomenal. It's also a family affair to crack the crab which makes preparation that much more fun. Serve them for brunch, lunch or dinner with mixed greens. The chipolte-cream cheese sauce can be used for multiple purposes, over crab cakes, as a dip or the daring can try it over a seafood fettucini. This is adapted from a Chevy's Restaurant recipe. Serves 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup stemmed, seeded and diced red peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 recipe Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
8 oz Dungeness crabmeat
Salt & Pepper
6-12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups queso fresco
Avacado to garnish (optional)

To make the filling:
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until clear. Add the garlic, red peppers and green onions and saute for 30 seconds or until soft. Add 1/2 cup of the Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and folk in the crabmeat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 375. Lay 4-6 of the tortillas on a baking sheet and place in teh over for 3-4 minutes to warm and soften. Set a tortilla on your work surface and spoon about 1/3 cup of filling in a line down the center of the tortilla. Loosely roll up the tortilla and place them in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining Chipotle-Cream Cheese sauce and sprinkle the queso fresco over the top. Garnish with optional avacado.

To make the Chipotle-Cream Cheese Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tsp minced jalapeno (seeded for mild flavor)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (seeded for milder flavor)
1 cup heavy cream (half and half is OK)
4 oz cream cheese (light cream cheese is OK)
1/2 cup grated Tillamook Monterey Jack cheese

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the jalapeno, garlic, and bell pepper and saute until soft. Add the oregano, salt, cumin, and Chipotle. Decrease the heat to low, add the heavy cream, cream cheese, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the jack cheese, stirring until melted and well incorporated. Keep warm over the lowest heat till used.