Quesadillas With Oaxacan Cheese And Squash Blossoms Recipes

PURSLANE QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Tear the purslane into 2- or 3-inch pieces, stripping the little shoots from the main stems; discard the woodiest pieces.
• Lay the tortillas on your work surface. Sprinkle some cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border. Put some purslane on top of the cheese, and drizzle about 2 teaspoons of the salsa verde on top. Top the purslane with the remaining cheese. Fold the tortillas in half.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the butter and melt until the foam just about subsides. Put in 2 of the tortillas and cook, pressing lightly with a spatula once or twice, until the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until the second side is brown and the cheese is melted, about 2 more minutes.
• Transfer the tortillas to a cutting board. Wipe out the skillet. Repeat with the remaining butter and tortillas, lowering the heat a bit if the butter or tortilla browns too quickly.
• Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately.

QUESADILLAS WITH OAXACAN CHEESE AND SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 10-12 minutes; season with salt. Transfer to a small bowl and wipe skillet clean.
• Toast a tortilla in the same skillet over medium-high until golden brown but not crunchy on one side, about 1 minute. Turn tortilla over and scatter one-quarter of cheese over one half of toasted side. Arrange 2 squash blossoms and one-quarter of onion mixture on top of cheese and fold tortilla in half to create a half-moon. Press down on it lightly to help tortilla adhere. Continue cooking, turning once or twice and pressing occasionally, until cheese is melted and tortilla begins to brown and crisp in spots (turn down the heat if needed), about 3 minutes. Transfer quesadilla to a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, squash blossoms, and onion mixture to make 3 more quesadillas.

ZUCCHINI-BLOSSOM QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Cook onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato breaks down, 3 to 5 minutes. Add blossoms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Combine tortilla flour, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and knead until a uniform dough forms, about 1 minute.
• Pinch off enough dough to form a 1 1/2-inch ball and transfer to a plate; dough should be moist but not sticky. If necessary, knead in a little more tortilla flour or water. Form remaining dough into about 13 (1 1/2-inch) balls, transferring to plate, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Press 1 ball of dough between plastic squares in tortilla press to form a 5 1/2- to 6-inch tortilla (less than 1D16 inch thick). Peel off 1 plastic square, then, holding tortilla in your palm, put 1 rounded tablespoon cheese (1/2 ounce) on one side of tortilla and spread 1 rounded tablespoon filling in a flat layer over cheese, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Fold tortilla in half, using plastic square as an aid, and pinch edges to seal, flattening slightly.
• Make more quesadillas in same manner, arranging them in 1 layer and covering with plastic wrap.
• Very lightly oil comal (or pizza pan), then heat over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Cook quesadillas, 3 at a time, until edges loosen from comal and brown spots appear on underside, 2 to 4 minutes, then turn over and cook, gently pressing quesadillas flat with a metal spatula if necessary, until brown spots appear on underside, 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately with salsa on the side.

SQUASH BLOSSOM QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Heat a large saute pan with a little oil and saute the onion, garlic, and the roasted poblano pepper for 5 minutes, until the onions have become translucent. Then, add the squash blossoms and deglaze with chicken stock. Add the epazote, and cook for another 5 minutes until squash blossoms have wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.
• To compose the quesadilla lay the 2 of the tortillas on a flat surface. Distribute the cheese equally on both tortillas. Then, spread 1/2 of the squash blossom filling over the cheese. Cover with the other tortilla, place on heated griddle on nonstick saute pan with a little oil, and cook for 3 minutes on each side. When nice and golden brown on each side and cheese has melted, remove and cut into quarters.

QUESADILLAS DE FLOR DE CALABAZA (SQUASH-BLOSSOMS)

Steps:

• Set rack in top third of oven, then preheat broiler. Put chilies on a cookie sheet and broil until skin is blistered and charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chilies to a deep bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until cool. Peel, stem, seed, and chop chilies, then set aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook until liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Add squash blossoms, epazote (if using), and reserved chiles, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until blossoms soften and wilt, 1 1/2-2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside until cool. Add monterey jack and toss until just mixed. Set filling aside.
• If using masa. Form masa into 20 1 1/2'' balls, then loosely cover with plastic wrap. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over base of a tortilla press, draping it over the sides. Place 1 ball of masa on plastic, slightly off-center of the press, towards the hinge. Lay another sheet of plastic wrap over masa, draping it over sides, then close press to flatten masa into a tortilla. Set plastic-covered tortilla aside. Repeat process, draping press with plastic and pressing out tortillas with remaining balls.
• Place 1 tortilla at a time on a flat surface and peel off 1 of the sheets of plastic. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling on half of tortilla; then, holding plastic with one hand, fold other half of tortilla over filling to form a half circle. Press edges together to seal, then set quesadillas aside.
• Lightly grease surface of a large cast-iron skillet with a little lard, then heat over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, remove plastic from quesadillas, then fry quesadillas until crusty and dark brown in patches, about 4 minutes per side. Serve hot.

SQUASH BLOSSOM QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• For the tortillas: combine the masa harina and salt in a bowl and stir in 1 1/4 cups water and oil. Knead in additional water to thoroughly soak the masa harina but not make it sticky. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• For the filling: heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the chilies and onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash blossoms and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and heat to boiling. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick. Season with salt. Let cool.
• To shape the quesadillas, knead the dough in a bowl with enough water to reach a pliable, but not wet or sticky, dough. Remove the dough in 2 tablespoonful amounts and press between 2 sheets of waxed paper to form 4-inch rounds. Spoon a dollop of the filling onto the center of each round and top with a pinch of cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
• Heat 1/4 inch of the oil over medium heat in a skillet and fry the quesadillas, several at a time, for 30 seconds a side, turning several times, until golden brown, adding more oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Serve immediately. This makes about 24 appetizer-size quesadillas.

QUESADILLAS WITH SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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 1/4 inch. Fry the quesadillas, 2 at a time, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve while still hot. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.