Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook briefly until smooth and lightly fragrant. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Add the garlic powder, smoked paprika, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack. Stir gently until the cheeses are completely melted and the queso is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fold the chopped shrimp, lump crab meat, and parsley into the warm queso. Stir gently so the creamy seafood filling stays chunky and the crab does not break apart too much.
- Lay the flour tortillas flat and spoon the shrimp and crab queso filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla snugly into a tube, keeping the seafood filling enclosed.
- Heat a shallow layer of cooking oil in a skillet. Add the tortilla tubes seam side down and fry, turning carefully, until crisp and golden on all sides.
- Transfer the crispy shrimp and crab tortilla tubes to a plate and sprinkle with extra chopped parsley. Serve hot while the outside is crunchy and the cheesy seafood center is warm and creamy.
Notes
Cook the flour and butter briefly before adding the milk so the queso base stays smooth.
Add the milk gradually while whisking to help prevent lumps.
Stir the cheeses gently until completely melted before adding the seafood.
Fold the crab and shrimp into the queso carefully so the crab pieces stay as intact as possible.
Roll the tortillas snugly and keep the filling enclosed to reduce leaking during frying.
Place the tortilla tubes seam side down first to help seal them as they fry.
Serve immediately while the shells are crisp and the seafood queso filling is warm.