Quesadillas
Quesadilla… Mui rapido.
Cheese melted between tortillas… delicious. I don’t know the exact figure, but millions of people survive and thrive on a diet that included at least one quesadilla a day. In Mexico it’s a staple, filled and topped with a crazy variety of ingredients.
Quesadillas are cooked using the “sauté” method – cooked in a pan over direct heat, using a small amount of fat. Vegetable oil is a good option. They’re an excellent way to use up leftovers, so be creative!
It’s best to use a pan that is slightly bigger than the tortilla. Preheat the pan and fat on low while you grate or crumble the cheese and get all your ingredients ready. When you’re ready increase the heat to medium, drop a tortilla into the pan and load it up! Two basic methods: one tortilla, folded in half like a taco; or two tortillas that sandwich in the filling. (The folded one is easier to flip.)
Cook the first side till the cheese melts, squeeze the juice of ¼ a lime over the whole thing, then close it and flip it over. After a few tries you’ll learn how much filling you need, and how the melted cheese keeps the other ingredients nicely contained, etc.
Oh, top it with salsa, sour cream and cracked pepper… we eat with our eyes, too!