Cheese And Poblano Quesadillas Recipes

ROASTED POBLANO QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Start by rinsing 2 poblano peppers. Roast the poblanos in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 400F.
• If you are building the Avocado Salsa Verde, you can also roast 4 tomatillos in the same pan as the poblanos. But remember that the tomatillos will need less time roasting. Take them out when they start to turn army green, approx 10-15 minutes.
• Add the roasted tomatillos to a blender along with 1/2 onion, 1 garlic clove, 10-12 sprigs cilantro, and 1/2 of a serrano pepper (or 1/2 of a jalapeno pepper). Pulse blend and taste for heat, adding the additional 1/2 of the serrano (or jalapeno) if you want more heat. Add the avocado to the blender and combine well. Salt to taste.
• Once the poblanos have roasted, let them cool and then pull off any loose bits of skin, but don't worry about getting rid of every last piece.
• De-stem and de-seed the poblanos, cutting them into thin, bite-sized strips.
• Saute 1/2 an onion in a dollop of oil over medium heat. When the onion is tender (4-6 minutes) add the poblano strips along with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Let this mixture saute for a few minutes.
• Heat up a wide skillet over medium heat. Warm up the tortillas before building the quesadillas (I usually give them 30-60 seconds in the skillet right before building).
• Each quesadilla gets a layer of refried beans, cheese, poblano-onion mixture, cilantro, and cheese. Fill only half of the tortilla so you can fold it onto itself.
• Cook the quesadillas for 2-3 minutes per side or until the cheese is melted and they start to turn golden brown.
• Serve immediately.

QUESADILLAS WITH POBLANO CHILES

Steps:

• Tortillas: Mix masa harina with warm water. Using your hands squish water and flour together until a cohesive mass is formed. Dough should be smooth and pliable. Cover the bowl with a barely damp kitchen towel. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Add salt; knead gently in bowl for another minute. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Use your palms to form each portion into a ball. Cover with the damp towel.
• Filling: In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add onion and sauté until golden brown about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook for 1 more minute Add chiles and sea salt, toss until all is thoroughly heated. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
• Assembly of Quesadillas: Put two sheets of plastic cut from a plastic storage bag (I use a plastic grocery bag) inside a Tortilla press OR use rolling pin on 2 sheets of wax paper with the dough ball between the 2 sheets. Put a dough ball between the sheets and gently press down the top plate of the press OR roll the dough ball using the rolling pin into a circular shape between sheets of wax paper. Remove top piece of plastic or wax paper and place a generous tablespoon of the shredded cheese on half of the tortilla keeping the edges free. Top with a couple of chile strips and a few onion slices. Lift the lower piece of plastic or wax paper to fold the uncovered side of the tortilla over the filling. Press the edges together with your fingers. Remove from the press or the wax paper and set aside covered with the damp towel. Repeat until all Quesadillas are made.
• Cooking of Quesadillas: Preheat oven to 200 deg F. Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a deep heavy frying pan and place over medium high heat until the oil shimmers.
• Fry the Quesadillas - one at a time until golden 1-2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels. Let drain briefly then transfer to a heat proof platter and keep warm in the oven. Serve as soon as possible.
• I had an extra amount of onion, cheese, and chiles so I dumped it on a store-bought corn tortilla, place another corn tortilla on top and then heated it on a dry frying pan until the cheese melted.

ROASTED POBLANO QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Heat the broiler to high.
• Char the poblanos under the broiler to blacken their skins on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Peel and seed the peppers, then slice. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and add a tortilla, cover the tortilla with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 of the peppers. Fold the tortilla in half and cook 2 minutes to crisp and char the tortilla evenly and melt cheese. Remove and cut into wedges; repeat.