Adventures In Quesadillas

“Quesadillas…aren’t those Mexican grilled cheese sandwiches?” Yes. “No, wait, they’re nachos in sandwich form.” Also, yes. More importantly, they are quick and easy to make, delicious, adaptable, and almost universally enjoyed. Do you really need me to tell you how to make a quesadilla? Probably not. Is that going to stop me? Definitely not.

So…at its base, a quesadilla is just two tortillas with melted cheese in between. They are cooked in a pan on the stove…lay down one tortilla, layer in the grated cheeses of your choice, top with another tortilla, and cook on medium until the cheese is starting to melt and the bottom tortilla is crispy. Then flip it over and cook until the other side is crispy. Cut it into wedges and enjoy. Alongside tomato soup, if you’d like.

Now, just the tortillas and cheese alone are delicious. But I would like to point out that this basic method is endlessly adaptable. One of my favorite ways to enjoy a quesadilla is with sautéed mushrooms. Slice up your ‘shrooms, and fry them in butter with salt and pepper to taste and a little thyme, if you’re feeling bold. But not too much, lest the powerful thyme make your ‘shrooms taste soapy. Sauté until the mushrooms have given up their liquid, and then turn off the heat and turn out the ‘shrooms onto some paper towel. Use another paper towel to wipe out your pan, and then place down a tortilla. I personally like three cheeses in my quesadillas, generally cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella. I like the flavor profile of the first two in combination and the melty lushness of the third. I generally sprinkle some mozzarella and parmesan onto the tortilla in the pan, and then add my mushrooms, spreading them out as best I can. Then I add the cheddar, and top with the other tortilla. Cook as usual. Utterly delicious.

Today, when I was making a quesadilla, I dug some cooked pork chops out of the fridge (left over from a failed attempt at a new recipe), chopped some of them up fine, and added them to my dish at the same stage where I would usually add the mushrooms. The pork chops weren’t awesome on their own (failed attempt, remember) but in the quesadilla, they were quite nice. You can put in chopped chicken or ground or sliced beef or ham or any meat you like. You can add other veggies, whatever your heart desires. I rather think a quesadilla with mozzarella, feta, artichoke hearts and a dash of oregano or Greek seasoning would be lovely. I must put artichoke hearts on the grocery list.

If you were the sort of person to throw dinner parties, you could make a quesadilla bar, where everyone could put together their own, adding whatever ingredients they wanted.

You can even make quesadillas work for dessert. Years ago, I discovered that mozzarella and apples and cinnamon are a lovely combination and taste quite a lot like apple pie, especially if you add just a bit of brown sugar. Slice or chop up an apple, and add it to your pan with a little butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and of course, a pinch of salt. Cook on medium until the apples are tender. Then set the apples aside and wipe out the pan. Then layer your tortilla, mozzarella, apple mixture, and another tortilla. Yum!

All of which is to say…quesadillas are delicious, easy, quick, and versatile. If you haven’t added them to your kitchen repertoire, you definitely should.