Classic & Modern Quesadilla Recipes For National Quesadilla Day
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How are you celebrating National Quesadilla Day, September 25th? We started with this fried egg quesadilla and for lunch the Peanut Butter & Jelly Quesadilla. For dinner, we’re heading to our local Mexican restaurant, where we’ve been eying the crab meat quesadilla. Will we be all quesadilla’d-out tomorrow? We don’t think so. A quesadilla, from Mexico, is a type of soft taco. Traditionally a corn tortilla is used, but it can also be made with a flour tortilla (we prefer corn tortillas: much more flavor). First and foremost, the tortilla is filled with cheese (queso Oaxaca), but not all regions focus on cheese (regional variations vary widely). The quesadilla can also be filled with: Contemporary quesadillas: More and more cooks like to make quesadillas with “modern” ingredients: caramelized onions, goat cheese, pizza fillings. See the “nouvelle” recipes below. Halloween quesadillas: Get ready for Halloween with Spokadillas, quesadillas designed to look like a mummy’s face (photo #3). Breakfast quesadillas with eggs, cheese, and bacon are very popular in the U.S. And don’t forget dessert quesadillas: ice cream with chocolate, butterscotch or caramel sauce, fruits, and whipped cream! > The history of the quesadilla. This recipe (photo #4) makes mini quesadillas for snacks, cocktail bites, and appetizers. You can make them regular size, of course. The recipe, from Kingsford Charcoal, is Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 30 minutes. We really like blue cheese, so added blue cheese dressing for dipping. Another option would be hot salsa for dipping, to continue the hot sauce flavor of Buffalo wings. If you go this way, buy jarred smooth salsa, easier for dipping. Ingredients For 8 Servings 1. PREPARE the grill for medium-high heat cooking, approximately 400°F. Once the grill has come to temperature, add 1–2 chunks of your favorite smoking wood (alternatively you can wrap a handful of smoking wood chips in foil and poke several holes in the foil) to the charcoal briquets. 2. SEASON the chicken thighs liberally on both sides with the dry rub. Place the thighs on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the grill and allow the thighs to rest for 5 minutes before finely chopping. As the chicken rests… 3. COMBINE the blue cheese and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl and blend well. Combine melted butter and hot sauce in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the chopped chicken to the hot sauce mixture. 4. SPRAY one side of 8 flour tortillas with canola oil and place them oiled side down on a large platter or sheet pan. Top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Add approximately ¼ cup buffalo chicken, 4–6 slices of bell pepper and another tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining flour tortillas and spray with canola oil. 5. GRILL. Working in batches, grill the quesadillas for 3–4 minutes per side until they are lightly browned and the cheese has completely melted. Remove from the grill, cut into quarters and serve with the optional blue cheese dressing. You’ll get the idea from these recipes that you can put pretty much anything you like into a quesadilla. One trend is “pizzadillas,” quesadillas with pizza fillings. We’re down with an “everything” pizza quesadilla—including anchovies. |
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