By the time this recipe is published, I will have a granddaughter — my first. I do not feel old enough to be anybody's grandmother, but I am thrilled to welcome a new child into our lives.
Another mouth to feed. I can't wait.
Melty cheese of any kind always makes me think of my own children as young ones. Our cast-iron griddle spent a dozen years on the stove waiting for the day's quesadilla orders. My son preferred simple renditions of white cheese and flour tortillas, while my daughter liked more complex combinations of tangy goat cheese and soft vegetables. No matter their age, the children in our house never tired of the warm, handheld goodness.
As they grew up, we added mild guacamole and salsas for dunking. Later, roasted vegetables and shrimp got tucked into the quesadillas. As my prowess in Mexican cooking expanded, so did our quesadilla concoctions.
Like any good melty cheese offering, I could easily enjoy this timeless recipe as a main course with a hearty green salad and cold Mexican beer or an Argentine malbec. Perhaps a glass of cold milk for the granddaughter — when she's ready for my cooking.
Cutting the rounds into triangles helps prevent mouth burns from hot cheese. Add crushed red pepper flakes to the cheese if you like things spicy. I would never object to chopped fresh cilantro or chives in the avocado mash.
Jack and Avocado Quesadilla Triangles
1 medium ripe avocado, halved, pitted
¼ teaspoon salt
Chopped fresh cilantro or chives, optional
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes or smoked paprika, optional
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Scoop avocado pulp into a small bowl. Roughly mash with a spoon; season with salt and cilantro, if using.
Heat a well-seasoned or nonstick griddle over medium heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add 2 tortillas in a single layer. Top each with ½ cup of the cheese, spreading it to within ½ inch of the edge. Sprinkle each with pepper flakes, if using, then a second tortilla. When the bottom tortilla is hot and a bit golden, about 1 minute, carefully flip to brown and heat the other side, about 30 seconds.
Transfer to a cutting board; cut each into 6 wedges. Serve right away with the mashed avocado.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 572 calories, 22 g protein, 37 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate (3 g sugar), 50 mg cholesterol 1,217 mg sodium and 9 g fiber.
Caramelized Onion, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
2 teaspoons canola, safflower or sunflower oil
½ small yellow onion, very thinly sliced
4 asparagus spears, chopped
Salt to taste
2 very fresh corn tortillas, about 6 inches in diameter
3 to 4 ounces crumbled soft goat cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Roasted tomato salsa
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil and the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Add asparagus; cook and stir until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer to a plate.
Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned griddle over medium heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and add tortillas. Turn once to coat tortillas with oil. Heat until softened, about 30 seconds. Immediately top half of each tortilla with half of the onion mixture and half of the crumbled cheese. Fold tortillas in half to enclose the filling. Press with a flexible spatula to compact everything. Cook until tortillas crisp a bit; flip to crisp the other side, 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Serve hot sprinkled with cilantro. Pass the salsa.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 231 calories, 9 g protein, 16 g fat,15 g carbohydrate (1 g sugar), 53 mg cholesterol, 209 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Food on 05/08/2019