Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach and Goat Cheese Quesadillas + Cinco de Mayo recipe idea links
Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese and Spinach Quesidillas
Peggy Lampman | Contributor
This is a great Mexican/Southwest inspired recipe to warm up your palate for Cinco de Mayo festivities. Tortillas are often one of the first items that people think of when referring to Mexican food.
These flat round cakes are the canvas one uses to make burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, flautas, quesadillas, tapa, flauta and tacos. Tonight's recipe is for easy quesadillas, which I loosely interpret to mean flour tortillas filled with cheese, a few more tidbits according to whim, folded then fried until crispy.
Chicken, beans, hot peppers, artichoke hearts, eggplant, tomato and pumpkin seeds would all be great substitutes for the red pepper and spinach, as well.
Cinco de Mayo Recipe Link Ideas:
Adobo Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Salsa
Fish Tacos
Chicken Mole (the easy way)
Beef Tostados with Roasted Tomatoes
Chopped ChickenTostado Salad with Chipotle-Corn Dressing
Mango Goat Cheese Quesidillas
Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesidillas
Southwest-Styled Stuffed Sweet Bell Peppers
Pozol (Mexican Chicken and Tomatilla Soup)
Potato and Roasted Corn Chowder with Chipotle, Cumin and Lime
Chili-Lime Chicken Wings
Chipotle Chili Chicken Skins (stuffed potato skins)
Chili Peppers stuffed with Queso Fresco
Yield: 4 quesadillas
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4, 8-inch flour tortillas, whole wheat or white
8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
2 cups (packed) baby spinach
2 roasted red pepper, stem, membranes and seeds removed and cut in half*
2 teaspoons canola oil
*Peppers are easy to roast, as you can observe on this video, but you can also purchase them roasted and bottled at most local grocery stores.
Directions
1. Trim pepper halves to lie flat. Spread 2 ounces goat cheese on each tortilla and top with red pepper half and spinach. Fold each tortilla in half.
2. Coat a large frying pan or griddle with canola or vegetable oil; heat oil to medium heat. Fry tortillas, in batches, pressing lightly with a spatula. When one side is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes, carefully turn over with a spatula or tongs and cook other side until golden brown. Serve whole or cut into wedges.
Comments
Ann English
Tue, Apr 2, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.
Nothing is said about goat cheese in the list of ingredients. Could goat cheese in the form of a goat cheese log be used? It's the only way I've bought goat cheese so far. Never crumbled goat cheese. You say, "Spread 1/4 goat cheese on each tortilla..." One-quarter of how much? Does it matter if it's from a log or if it's crumbled or solid?
Peggy Lampman
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
Hey Ann. Absolutely on the log - it can be purchased in a myriad of fashion, depending on the seller. As well, a myriad of flavor and textures depending on milk and process used. I clarified the ingredients for you. If you are accustomed to purchasing it in the logs, let it sit at room temperature for 30- 45 minutes - it will be so much easier to spread. Peggy
Kim Gardner
Fri, May 6, 2011 : 1:29 p.m.
I made these for dinner last night and they were excellent! Thanks for the recipe :)
Jessica Webster
Wed, May 4, 2011 : 6:44 p.m.
Love the inventive quesadilla filling, Peggy! Gorgeous picture, as usual!
Lola
Wed, May 4, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.
Thanks Peggy! I totally see it now. I guess when I make quesadillas I stack 2 of them with the filling in between so it didn't occur to me to fold one. I feel so stupid ;-) Again, these look amazing!
Peggy Lampman
Wed, May 4, 2011 : 5:41 p.m.
Hi Lola! Tortillas, as you know, are the flat unleavened "pancakes" of corn or wheat flour then filled to make burritos, tacos, flautas, chimichangas, quesadillas, etc. To make the quesidillas in the photo above, I filled tortillas, folded them in half (the sealed together part you referred to is the fold), then fried them. When they were cool enough to handle, I cut them in half to make the triangles you see in the picture. My recipe for goat-cheese mango quesadillas are similar. Hope this helps! Peggy
Lola
Wed, May 4, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
Peggy, these look and sound delicious! I have one question though. In the picture it looks more like pita was used since the edges appear to be sealed. Can you explain what I'm looking at and why it doesn't look like a tortilla?