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Quick and delicious quesadillas By Russ Parsons
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) In the beginning, there was grilled cheese, and it was good. How could it not be — creamy melted cheese, bread crisped in butter? And then, of course, came the panini, once a simple Italian snack bar staple, turned seemingly ubiquitous. Now it looks like it may be the quesadilla's turn. And, really, the only thing to be said is: It's about time. Granted, making quesadillas is not going to earn you a reputation among your friends as the next Top Chef. Not unless it's at the end of a long day of work and they're hungry. At times like that, a well-prepared quesadilla, made from a good corn tortilla and stuffed with something like mushrooms and goat cheese, or braised greens and feta, is pretty darned delicious. And hey, quesadilla queen Still, I can already hear some of you muttering to yourselves. Quesadillas do have a reputation as a kind of dumbed-down sandwich — fold a flour tortilla over shredded Cheddar, stick on the griddle, and there you go. And, in truth, there are times when even that simple version is not a bad thing to eat. My poor wife, who doesn't seem to be able to go out in public without being bombarded with the question, "Who really cooks at home?," usually answers that her culinary gifts are restricted to a mean quesadilla and a great chocolate chip cookie. And I'll happily confess that there are nights when I get home late from the office and one of those quesadillas, served with a green salad and a Lakers game, seems infinitely more pleasurable than even a foie gras torchon at But that shortcut version is not the best way to make a quesadilla, though I do think calling it "degenerated" as Mexican food authority
And though I'll happily agree that quesadillas made with fresh masa are dreamy beyond belief, in real life I am quite satisfied to settle for packaged corn tortillas cooked on the griddle. I've had good luck with the ones some call "handmade." They seem to have a slightly more pliable texture and fresher taste than most others. Of course, if you have a favorite tortilleria in your neighborhood, that should be the first choice. I've made quesadillas filled with nothing more than fresh requeson, or ricotta, mixed with herbs, and in the summer they're terrific filled with quickly cooked zucchini blossoms. Lately my favorite fillings have been sauteed mushrooms cloaked in fresh goat cheese, and braised cooking greens dotted with feta or queso fresco. I even made the latter with cooked trimmings of bolted lettuce from the garden and it was terrific. Quesadillas come together in minutes: Prepare the filling, warm the tortillas on one side just long enough to soften them, flip them over and spoon the filling into the center, scatter cheese over the top, fold the tortilla in half around the filling and cook until the tortilla is lightly browned on both sides. They're simply terrific. The tortilla toasts just enough to crisp slightly and enrich the corn flavor; the filling gilds basic ingredients with the irresistible allure of melted cheese. Serve it with a salad and you've got a great dinner. One of Garcia's special twists seems to be melting the cheese on the griddle before adding it to the quesadilla. Maybe it was my cheese (I use low-moisture mozzarella, "pizza cheese"), but when I tried this at home, the results weren't very good — the cheese clumped up and crisped, but without adding appreciably to the flavor. I prefer to scatter it over the top and let it melt into the filling. That's it: Given the right mix of leftovers for the filling, you can go from zero to a really delicious dinner in 15 minutes. Starting from scratch with the filling might take as many as 30, and I can still make it in less than an hour even with a grocery stop.
QUESADILLAS STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND GOAT CHEESE Total time: 30 minutes
1. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has stopped foaming and bubbling, add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have given up their moisture, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with shallots and cook until the shallots have softened, the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are quite tender, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint and the goat cheese. 2. Heat the oil on a griddle over medium heat; use a spatula to distribute it so the surface is evenly covered. If you don't have a large griddle, you can use a skillet, but you'll have to cook the quesadillas in more than one batch. Add the tortillas and cook on one side until they have softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip them to the other side and spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture in the center. Sprinkle over some of the diced mozzarella and use a spatula to fold the tortilla in half around the filling. 3. Cook until the tortilla begins to brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes, and then flip onto the other side and cook until the tortilla browns on that side and the mozzarella is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes more. If some of the melting cheese oozes onto the griddle, that's even better. Repeat if necessary to use up all of the tortillas and filling. 4. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 250-degree oven until all of the quesadillas have been made. Each of 6 servings: 312 calories; 15 grams protein; 26 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 17 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 44 mg. cholesterol; 3 grams sugar; 686 mg. sodium. ——— QUESADILLAS STUFFED WITH GREENS AND FETA Total time: 30 minutes
2. While the onion is cooking, rinse the greens in a colander but don't dry them. When the onion is ready, add the greens along with any water that clings to the leaves to the skillet. Season with salt and red pepper, sprinkle with garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are quite tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the feta. 4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil on a griddle over medium heat; use a spatula to distribute it so the surface is evenly covered. If you don't have a large griddle, you can use a skillet, but you'll have to cook the quesadillas in more than one batch. Add the tortillas and cook on one side until they have softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them to the other side and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the greens in the center. Sprinkle over some of the diced mozzarella and use a spatula to fold the tortilla in half around the filling. 5. Cook until the tortilla begins to brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, and then flip onto the other side and cook until the tortilla browns on that side and the mozzarella is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes more. If some of the melting cheese oozes onto the griddle, that's even better. Repeat if necessary to use up all of the tortillas and filling. 6. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 250-degree oven until all of the quesadillas have been made. Each of 6 servings: 311 calories; 13 grams protein; 32 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 16 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 37 mg. cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 840 mg. sodium.
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© 2010, Los Angeles Times Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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