Recipes

Chickpea Quesadillas with Cheese

Chickpea Quesadillas with Cheese

Quesadillas de Garbanzos Sometimes corn tortilla dough is mixed with other ingredients. Mashed chickpeas in the dough produces a softer, moister texture inside and gives the dough a slightly different flavor. The dough is made into quesadillas and fried until crisp and brown. These appetizers, common in Tlaxcala and Puebla, should be eaten within a few minutes after frying. You can find a tortilla press in some Mexican markets.
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup warm tap water
  • ¼ cup canned chickpeas garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle salsa or adobo from canned chipotles
  • 4 8-inch squares of plastic wrap to line tortilla press
  • 8 ounces Oaxaca string cheese or other melting cheese, cut into thin strips, 1-inch long × 1⁄2-inch wide
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, mix the masa and water to a soft smooth dough.
  • Mash the garbanzo beans to a coarse purée and mix with the masa dough.
  • Add the chipotle salsa.
  • Mix to a moist soft dough that does not stick to the hands.
  • Just until the dough comes together, and is easy to manage, about 2 minutes.
  • If sticky, add masa flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • Form the dough into balls about large walnut size.
  • Cover the balls with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
  • Lay 1 plastic square on the bottom of a tortilla press, and place 1 dough ball in the center of the press.
  • Put another plastic square on top of the ball.
  • Gently press the tortilla handle to make a 31⁄2-inch circle.
  • Remove the top plastic square.
  • Put a small thin slice of cheese on half of the dough circle and lift the bottom plastic square and fold over to enclose the cheese inside the dough in a half moon shape.
  • Seal the edges.
  • Remove the plastic and place on a plate.
  • Repeat pressing each dough ball between 2 plastic squares, then filling, folding, and removing the plastic square.
  • Heat oil to a depth of about ½ inch in a medium skillet.
  • Fry each quesadilla in the hot oil until crisp and brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes total.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Serve the quesadillas at once.
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Course; Cheese
Cuisine; Mexican

Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Quesadillas de Queso de Chiva
The Spanish brought cows and goats to Mexico, and cheese making followed, with much of it being made in central Mexico, in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacan, and Jalisco. Goat cheese is produced there too, and creative chefs are using it in some of their new-style dishes. The sweetness of pan-roasted onion pairs remarkably well with the tangy goat cheese. Fuerte restaurant in the charming and popular city of Tlaquepaque, a village outside of Guadalajara in Jalisco, gets credit for this simple recipe.
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Ingredients

Makes 16 appetizers

  • 2 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds white onion
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 6 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Fresh red salsa purchased or homemade

Instructions

  • Lay a 6-inch square of aluminum foil in the bottom of a small dry skillet and heat the skillet over medium heat.
  • Place the onion rounds on the foil and dry-roast until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes, repositioning the rounds once or twice to brown evenly.
  • Turn and brown the second side until the onion is tender, but not soft, about 6 minutes.
  • Remove to a cutting board and chop the onion.
  • Lay 4 tortillas on a flat surface and spread with the goat cheese.
  • Scatter the onion evenly on the cheese.
  • Top with the remaining 4 tortillas.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook the quesadillas, 1 at a time, until golden and crisp on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
  • Add more oil as needed.
  • Cut each quesadilla into quarters.
  • Top each quarter with about 1 teaspoon of salsa.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Cheese / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadillas with Chiles and Mushrooms

Quesadillas with Chiles and Mushrooms

Quesadillas de Chile Poblano y Hongo
Quesadillas contain more than just melted cheese these days. Here, roasted strips of poblano chile and mushrooms make a special appetizer quesadilla that's cut into wedges. Serve with fresh or bottled salsa, if desired.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 2 large poblano chiles roasted, peeled, seeded, and veins removed
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 8 medium white or brown button mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 4 10-inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or manchego cheese

Instructions

  • Cut the roasted poblano chiles into 1⁄2-inch squares.
  • Set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the mushrooms until they release their juices and start to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chiles and green onions.
  • Lay 2 of the tortillas on a work surface.
  • Scatter ¼ cup of cheese on each tortilla.
  • Top equally with the mushroom mixture.
  • Scatter remaining cheese evenly over the tortillas.
  • Top with the remaining tortillas.
  • Heat a large dry skillet and toast the quesadillas, 1 at a time, until light brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
  • Cut the quesadillas into wedges.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadilla Stack with Onions and Cheese

Quesadilla Stack with Onions and Cheese

Quesadillas de Cebollas y Queso
Flour tortillas are stacked with caramelized onions and cheese filling between the layers for these quesadillas. These are great to make ahead. I butter the outside of the tortilla stacks before covering and storing them. Then just before serving I toast them on a stovetop grill pan or skillet. Easy!
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Ingredients

Makes 12 small appetizer wedges

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ pound red onions finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija or mild feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper or to taste
  • 6 7-inch flour tortillas
  • Unsalted butter or margarine at room temperature

Instructions

  • In a skillet, heat the oil over low heat and cook the onions, stirring frequently, until they are soft and light brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of water.
  • Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes more.
  • Transfer the onions to a bowl and cool.
  • When the onions are lukewarm, add the oregano, cheese, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
  • Mix and set aside.
  • Lay 2 tortillas on a flat surface.
  • Spread ¼ of the onion mixture on each tortilla.
  • Place a second tortilla on top of the onion mixture and spread the remaining onion mixture equally on both tortillas.
  • Lay the remaining 2 tortillas on top of each stack.
  • Spread a thin film of butter on the top tortilla in each stack.
  • Invert the two stacks and spread a thin film of butter on the unbuttered side.
  • Put the two stacks on a plate with a piece of wax paper between them.
  • If made ahead, cover and refrigerate until shortly before serving.
  • Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and lay 1 tortilla stack on the hot pan.
  • Toast until crisp with grill marks from the pan ridges, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Flip and brown the second side, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Repeat with the second stack.
  • Cut each stack into 6 equal wedges.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve warm
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadillas with Squash Blossoms

Quesadillas with Squash Blossoms

Quesadillas de Flor de Calabazas
Golden squash blossoms are used extensively throughout Mexico as a filling for quesadillas. These beautiful blossoms are becoming more available in the United States in season at farmers' markets and in some Mexican or Italian markets. The cooked filling of chopped blossoms, onion, garlic, tomato, and epazote is tucked inside a folded tortilla and lightly fried. This version from food stalls in Puebla's public market uses ready-made corn tortillas for convenience. Most authentic quesadillas are made with uncooked masa dough that is pressed into tortillas, filled, folded, and then fried.
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Ingredients

Makes 8 quesadillas

  • 5 ounces about 25 large squash blossoms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 serrano chile finely chopped with seeds
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh epazote leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ⅓ cup crumbled cotija or mild feta cheese
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • To prepare the blossoms, cut off the stems and remove the green petals at the base of the flowers.
  • Pinch off the stamen from inside the blossoms.
  • Rinse gently and shake off excess water.
  • Cut crosswise about 1⁄2-inch thick.
  • Set aside.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, serrano, epazote, oregano, and salt.
  • Cook, partially covered, until the blossoms cook down and juices are reduced, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Cool 5 minutes and stir in the cheese.
  • To assemble, heat the tortillas, 1 at a time, in a hot dry skillet until pliable.
  • Put about 3 teaspoons filling on half of the tortilla and fold over.
  • Put on a plate and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  • In the same skillet, heat vegetable oil to a depth of about ¼ inch.
  • Fry the quesadillas, 2 at a time, until golden on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels and serve while still hot.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadillas with Zucchini and Cheese

Quesadillas with Zucchini and Cheese

Quesadillas de Calabacitas y Queso
This appetizer is made by filling flour tortillas with shredded zucchini and cheese, then folding them like a turnover and finally browning them quickly in oil for a crunchy exterior. The quesadillas are cut into triangles and served as an appetizer.
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Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • medium bowl
  • oven

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the zucchini, onion, and garlic.
  • Cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape the vegetables into a medium bowl and let stand until cool.
  • Season with salt.
  • Stir in the cheese and the salsa.
  • To assemble the quesadillas, lay 1 tortilla on a flat surface and put about 2 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture on one half of the tortilla.
  • Fold the other half over to create a half-moon shape.
  • Repeat with the remaining tortillas and zucchini.
  • Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet, brown the quesadillas on both sides, and put on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
  • Keep warm in a 200° oven while cooking the remaining quesadillas.
  • Add extra oil as needed.
  • To serve, cut each quesadilla in half, and serve at once.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadillas with Avocado

Quesadillas with Avocado

Quesdillas de Aguacate
Cheese by itself, and just about anything else—in this case, avocado—is layered inside toasted tortillas to make quesadillas. Fresh salsa may be served with these quesadillas to spoon a dollop on top of each snack.
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Ingredients

Makes 12 snack triangles

  • 1 ripe avocado Hass variety preferred, peeled and mashed
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 2-to 3 dashes hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 7-inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix the avocado, onion, lime juice, Tabasco sauce, and salt.
  • Lay 3 of the tortillas on a work surface.
  • Spread each tortilla equally with the avocado mixture to within about 1⁄2-inch from the edge.
  • Sprinkle cheese equally on top of the avocado on each tortilla.
  • Put the remaining tortillas on top to close like a sandwich.
  • Brush each top tortilla lightly with oil.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  • Invert one of the tortilla stacks and lay in the pan, oiled side down.
  • Again brush the top tortilla with oil.
  • Toast until light brown and crisp.
  • With a large wide spatula turn the stack over and brown the second side.
  • Repeat with the remaining stacks.
  • When all are brown and crisp on both sides cut each stack into quarters.
  • Arrange on a plate.
  • Serve warm.
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Course; Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Quesadillas with Oven-Barbecued Beef

Quesadillas with Oven-Barbecued Beef

Quesadillas de Carne de Res
When polls are taken on where to get the best tacos, burritos, and other snacks in San Francisco, La Taqueria on Mission Street is at or near the top every time. Owner Miguel Jara's high standards for authentic Mexican snacks and service makes La Taqueria worth a visit. The beef and cheese quesadillas made with soft fresh flour tortillas are fantastic, but they must be made separately and served hot off the griddle. This is a procedure more than a recipe, but one you're bound to commit to memory. This recipe serves four, but adjust the recipe to make as many as you want.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the barbecued beef.
  • Then, shred the amount of beef needed and have ready in a bowl by the stove along with separate bowls of the cheese and salsa.
  • Put a small bowl of oil and a pastry brush near the heat source for the skillet or a flat griddle.
  • Lay newspaper with a layer of paper towels on the counter for draining the quesadillas.
  • Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat.
  • Place 1 tortilla on a flat working surface and brush both sides with oil.
  • Fry the tortilla in the hot pan about 5 seconds per side.
  • Immediately remove it to the towels, and put a layer of meat, then a layer of cheese and a layer of salsa on half of the tortilla.
  • Fold the tortilla in half and return to the pan.
  • Fry until golden on both sides.
  • Drain quickly on paper towels and serve at once.
  • Repeat, making as many quesadillas as desired.
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Course; Beef / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken Quesadillas

Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas de Pollo
Flour tortillas filled with chicken and cheese are crisp and golden brown on the outside with shredded chicken and melted cheese on the inside for a tantalizing light meal. This version is easy to prepare at home.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

  • ¾ pound chicken tenders tenderloin pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
  • ¼ cup prepared thick and chunky salsa
  • 8 6- or 7-inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • Additional oil for frying

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the chicken tenders with salt.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the chicken, turning 2 to 3 times, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken to a plate.
  • Add the onion to the skillet, and cook 2 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salsa.
  • With clean fingers, shred the chicken into strips, and mix with the onions and salsa.
  • To assemble the quesadillas, place 4 of the tortillas on a flat surface, and sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese.
  • Layer with the chicken and the remaining cheese.
  • Top with remaining tortillas.
  • In a clean medium skillet, heat about 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat.
  • Fry the quesadillas, 1 at a time, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Carefully lift the quesadilla with a wide spatula, and turn.
  • Fry the second side until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
  • Add additional oil to the pan, as needed, for each quesadilla.
  • Cut into quarters and serve.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Open-Faced Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

Open-Faced Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

Tortillas de Harina con Pollo y Queso
These maverick open-faced quesadillas make a simple and eye-appealing light lunch. The flour tortillas are an edible base and can be fried crisp ahead of time.
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Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler.
  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet until hot and shimmering.
  • Fry the tortillas, 1 at a time, until crisp and lightly browned on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Add additional oil, if needed.
  • In the same skillet, cook the chicken breast until browned on both sides and opaque in the center, about 8 minutes total.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cut the chicken crosswise into thin strips.
  • Reserve.
  • Put the tortillas on a large baking sheet and divide the cheese evenly on top.
  • Run under the hot broiler until the cheese is melted, about 45 seconds.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • Arrange half of the chicken in the center of each tortilla.
  • Top with salsa and sour cream.
  • Garnish with a sprig of cilantro.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Chicken / Tortilla
Cuisine; Mexican