Cooking Quesadillas on the Grill

Customize Tortilla Sandwiches with Vegetable, Cheese Fillings

© Michael Vyskocil

May 31, 2009

Mexico’s popular version of the grilled-cheese sandwich, quesadillas are soft flour tortillas layered with fillings and folded over or stacked, then cooked until the outside is crisp and the fillings are melted and bubbly. The varieties that can be prepared are endless—the only requisite ingredient is cheese. Quesadillas are easy and fun to make on an outdoor grill. If you can’t use a grill, quesadillas can also be toasted under a broiler or in a skillet.

When serving guests for lunch, you might want to set up a “quesadilla bar” right next to the grill and offer a selection of ingredients, from standard to adventurous. Be creative in your offerings; the following are some suggestions to get you started: A stack of flour tortillas, both small and large, should be kept well wrapped until ready to use. An assortment of peppers, including red, yellow, and green bell peppers, poblanos, and jalapeños, can be grilled and peeled or sliced for filling. Scallions can be cut into two-inch pieces, and the red onions can be sliced into rings before grilling.

Tomatillos (a member of the tomato family) can be grilled, smashed, and used as filling. Red cherry tomatoes, large peeled shrimp and sardines in oil offer a complex blend of tastes and flavors. A selection of cheeses, including white and yellow cheddars, sharp American cheddar, queso blanco (a Mexican cheese similar to American goat cheese), and Chihuahua (a Mexican melting cheese, similar to Monterey Jack), allows guests to select their favorite variety. English chutney, a large bowl of salsa, and fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and basil, can also be placed on the "quesadilla bar."

RECIPES

Cheddar Cheese and Salsa Quesadilla

Makes one 10-inch quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 2 ten-inch flour tortillas
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons homemade or commercially-prepared salsa
• 3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat a grill to medium-hot. Place a grill rack about 4 inches above the coals. Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil. Place the tortilla, oil side down, on a plate.
2. Spread salsa over the surface of the tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with another tortilla; carefully slide quesadilla onto the grill. Brush the top of the tortilla with oil.
3. When the underside of the quesadilla is brown, flip over and grill on the opposite side. Remove from the grill, cut the quesadilla into wedges and serve.

Shrimp and Scallion Quesadailla

Makes one 10-inch quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 4 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ten-inch flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
• 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat a grill to medium-hot. Place a grill rack about 4 inches above the coals. Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil. Place the tortilla, oil side down, on a plate.
2. Place the cleaned shrimp in a bowl; drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the shrimp on the grill, and cook until white but not overcooked, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board; cut the shrimp into 1-inch pieces.
3. Sprinkle the tortilla with cheese. Top with the scallions, halved cherry tomatoes, shrimp and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with another tortilla, and carefully slide the quesadilla onto the grill. Brush the top of the tortilla with oil.
4. When the underside of the quesadilla is brown, flip over and grill on the opposite side. Remove from the grill, cut the quesadilla into wedges and serve.

Quesadillas

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