Summer on a plate: crab, avocado, Old Bay, butter, chives, lemon zest, red bell pepper, celery, champagne vinegar, mayo, and a good-quality roll (we used a potato roll).

It all starts with avocado.

The old twist-and-pull never fails to get an avocado pit out.

The first half of the avocado gets minced for the mayo.

In it tumbles to the food processor!

Lemon zest arrives on the scene to brighten things up.

And champagne vinegar adds bright clarity.

A little bit of mayo (we used Hellmann's) and you're ready to go!

Couldn't be easier.

That second half of the avocado will be folded into the crab salad. A simple dice will do.

Really fresh crab can't be beat -- we got ours already cleaned, but if you want to do it yourself, feel free!

Minced red pepper and celery arrive on the scene to add crunch.

That avocado mayo is about to make this pile of ingredients into a real salad.

Don't stir too vigorously or you'll break up the crab!

The avocado is added and the bowl gets a last swipe of the spatula to mix it all in.

Now it's just a matter of seasoning -- first salt.

Then check for pepper (we added a little bit more Old Bay, too).

Toasting the hotdog bun in butter makes all the difference in the world.

And welcome to summer.

Flavor party: egg, cotija cheese, garlic, avocado, cabbage, sour cream, bay leaf, corn flakes, lime, sesame seeds, jalapeno, pinto beans, aleppo pepper, salt pork, and cilantro.

A long simmer with garlic, bay leaves, and salt pork made these beans taste dreamy.

Now for a smart trick: add a ladleful or two of beans and their broth to a blender.

Seconds later, you have a thick puree.

Then add the puree back to the pot of drained beans. Voila, instant creaminess!

Now for the cilantro sauce. Sour cream and canola oil go into the food processor.

They're joined by jalapeno (seeds on, please)...

Garlic for pungency...

And a generous handful of cilantro.

Lime juice both loosens and adds a sharp note to the sauce.

In arielleclementine's words, what a "lovely shade of spring green"!

On to the slaw: half of a cabbage gets a quick slicing.

The dressing is simple, and it starts with lime juice raining from the heavens.

Sesame oil adds a surprising -- and very welcome -- toasty note.

And sesame seeds add a subtle crunch.

The final stretch: work out some aggression by pounding cornflakes to the size of panko breadcrumbs.

Aleppo peppers adds a lovely spiciness to the breading -- feel free to substitute red pepper flakes.

Sugar, more sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt round out the flavors.

Sesasoned, crushed corn flakes: breakfast of champions!

To keep the avocado wedges whole, gently peel them after -- not before -- cutting them.

It may seem unusual to coat an avocado in beaten egg, but we promise the results are worth it.

Don't be afraid to pile the corn flakes onto the wedges -- you want every surface coated.

With the oil hot and ready, we gently lay the slices in a few at a time.

Look at them go!

Bottom to top: tortilla, beans, slaw, avocado, cilantro sauce, cotija, lime. Your kitchen just turned into a taqueria.