Quesadillas with Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

Quesadillas are a staple of any Mexican-inspired menu and the spicy tomato salsa served with this recipe comes together pretty quickly.
Photography By | September 01, 2013

Ingredients

Quesadillas
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces huitlacoche (corn fungus, this is optional)
  • 10 epazote leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 pound requeson (or substitute ricotta cheese)
  • 12 pound fresh blue masa or pre-made blue or yellow corn tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 15 tomatillos, quartered
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Spicy Tomatillo Salsa
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 15 tomatillos, quartered
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 serrano chiles, minced
  • 5 epazote leaves
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

To Prepare Quesadillas

Warm a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until it’s almost smoking. Add the onions, garlic and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and cook until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the jalapeños and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the huitlacoche (if using) and epazote and cook for 8 minutes. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the requeson and stir together. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

If you are making your own tortillas from masa: Line a tortilla press with two circular sheets of plastic wrap. Place a 3-ounce portion of masa between the plastic sheets and press until the tortilla is 6 to 7 inches in diameter. Continue until you have used all of the masa. Keep tortillas warm until ready to fill, or wrap and place them in the refrigerator.

When the filling has cooled, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Wipe the inside of the pan with an oiled cotton cloth to lightly grease.
Place a tortilla in the oiled pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the filling on half of the tortilla so that you are able to fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling to make a half-moon shape. Cook for another minute on each side.

To serve, place the quesadilla on a plate and serve with Spicy Tomatillo Salsa on the side.

To Prepare Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

Warm the oil in a large frying pan. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture falls apart, about 15 minutes. Purée until smooth. Season with salt.

Serves 6

*Specialty ingredients may be sourced from most Hispanic markets in the Bay Area.


Recipes courtesy of Copita Tequileria y Comida in Sausalito.
CopitaRestaurant.com

 

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Ingredients

Quesadillas
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces huitlacoche (corn fungus, this is optional)
  • 10 epazote leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 pound requeson (or substitute ricotta cheese)
  • 12 pound fresh blue masa or pre-made blue or yellow corn tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 15 tomatillos, quartered
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Spicy Tomatillo Salsa
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 15 tomatillos, quartered
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 serrano chiles, minced
  • 5 epazote leaves
  • Kosher salt
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