Farmer's Market Quesadilla

The best your farmer's market can offer goes into the quesadilla.  But I'm not a vegetarian so I'd also buy a rotisserie chicken, cut the chicken meat into cubes or shred it and add to the quesadilla.

• 5 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 cup small-diced fresh, mild chiles, such as Anaheim or poblano (from about 2 large chiles)
• 1-1/2 cups small-diced summer squash (from about 2 small zucchini, yellow squash, or yellow crookneck)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
• 1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder
• 1 cup diced tomato (from 2 small tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• Four 9-inch flour tortillas
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar (8 oz.)
• Sour cream for serving (optional)

TIP:

Chipotles are dried smoked jalapeños, and in any form they add an intriguing depth to dishes like these quesadillas. McCormick makes ground chipotle, and The Spice Hunter sells a crushed chipotle, which would be a fine substitute in this recipe; just add a bit more than you would of the ground.

Heat the oven to 200°F. Fit a cooling rack over a baking sheet and put in the oven.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the squash softens and starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn and chipotle powder and cook 2 minutes more. Spoon into a bowl, let cool for a few minutes, and then fold in the tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 3/4 cup of the mixture.

Lay several layers of paper towel on a work surface. Wipe out the skillet, put it over medium-high heat, and add 1 Tbs. of the oil. When it's hot, put one tortilla in the pan. Quickly distribute 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over the tortilla and about a quarter of the remaining vegetable mixture over half the tortilla. When the underside of the tortilla is browned, use tongs to fold the cheese-only side over the vegetable side. Lay the quesadilla on the paper towels, blot for a few seconds, and then move it to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining oil and tortillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with the reserved vegetable mixture and sour cream.

Serving Suggestions

Keep with the farmers' market theme by serving with Steamed Green Beans with Lemon Vinaigrette.

nutrition information (per serving): 
Calories (kcal): 660; Fat (g): 42; Fat Calories (kcal): 370; Saturated Fat (g): 15; Protein (g): 22; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 16; Carbohydrates (g): 51; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 9; Sodium (mg): 1090; Cholesterol (mg): 60; Fiber (g): 5;

PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS

Southwestern Tuna with a Grilled Summer Salad

As I've stated before, I love my tuna RARE.  So, that's the way I cook it.  But cook it as thoroughly as you want.  This grilled salad will go with anything and is easy to make.



Serves 4

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
• 3 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• Cayenne
• 1-1/2 lb. 1-inch-thick tuna steaks (2 steaks about 10 oz. each)
• 1-1/2 lb. squash (about 3 medium zucchini or summer squash)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a mediumhot charcoal fire.

In a small bowl, mix half of the garlic, 2 tsp. of the olive oil, the cumin, lime juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and a large pinch of cayenne. Spread an equal amount of the rub on both sides of the tuna and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Trim the ends of each squash and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Core and seed the red peppers and cut each into 4 pieces. Pile the squash and red peppers into a bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and another large pinch of cayenne. Toss to coat evenly.

Set the tuna steaks on the hottest part of the grill and fan the peppers and squash around them. Turning the vegetables occasionally, grill the tuna 3 minutes per side for medium rare or until cooked to the doneness you like. Transfer the tuna to a clean plate and tent loosely with foil. Continue grilling and turning the vegetables until they’re just tender, another 2 to 4 minutes, and transfer to a cutting board. Scrape the pepper skins off with a paring knife, if you like. Coarsely chop the vegetables and put them back into the same bowl in which they were tossed. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar, half the cilantro, and the remaining garlic over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Taste for salt and pepper. Cut the tuna steaks into four portions.

nutrition information (per serving): 
Calories (kcal): 300; Fat (g): 14; Fat Calories (kcal): 130; Saturated Fat (g): 2; Protein (g): 34; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 12; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 540; Cholesterol (mg): 65; Fiber (g): 3;

PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS

Quick Beef Enchiladas

I loves beef enchiladas.  As I mentioned in my post on El Real restaurant in Houston, I had their beef enchiladas.  Of course they were smothered in cheesy goodness. This is a little simpler and not so calorie ridden.  If you don't want to make your own salsa verde, there are plenty of good ones at any market.  But for freshness sake, try the real stuff.  So if you use the market stuff, skip the first part of the instructions.  From Fine Cooking: 

Serves 4

Kosher salt 
1 lb. tomatillos (about 15 medium), husked and rinsed 
3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved lengthwise (seeded, if you like) 
1 large yellow onion, half cut into 4 wedges, half chopped 
2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro 
1-1/2 Tbs. canola oil 
1 lb. lean ground beef 
2 tsp. ground cumin 
Freshly ground black pepper 
8 6-inch corn tortillas 
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

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Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion wedges; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender along with 1/3 cup of the cilantro. Purée until just slightly chunky and season to taste with salt.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, chopped onion, cumin, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the salsa verde into the beef.
Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Grease a 9x13-inch metal or ceramic baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil.
Wrap the tortillas in a few slightly damp paper towels and microwave on high until warm, 30 to 45 seconds. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon some of the beef mixture down the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the cheese. Roll up snugly and transfer to the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and beef mixture. Pour the remaining salsa verde over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 580; Fat (g): 31; Fat Calories (kcal): 280; Saturated Fat (g): 12; Protein (g): 36; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12; Carbohydrates (g): 40; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Sodium (mg): 790; Cholesterol (mg): 110; Fiber (g): 6;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 98 , pp. 84-86

March 5, 2009