Quesdadillas Made Simple

Reid W has been having a great time with his Broil King team demonstrating barbecuing ideas around South Western Ontario.  You won’t find hamburgers, hotdogs or sausages on his grills!  In addition to his impressive repertoire of main-course fare, he has discovered that Quesadillas are the ultimate leftover transformer. The simplest combinations of grilled foods can be combined in one crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside, delicious appetizer or snack.  And because they generally include all of the food groups, they are a healthy choice.

Here are a few tips to ensure success with your own quesadilla experiments:

• Brush the outsides of the flour tortillas lightly with olive or vegetable oil to prevent sticking and to encourage crisping.

• Don’t overstuff.  It is much easier to cut and serve thinner quesadillas.

• Sprinkle cheese all around, but leave a  ½” border without the other filling ingredients.

• Try to eliminate excess liquid from your ingredients:  remove seeds and pulp from tomatoes.  This will prevent sogginess.

• Slice grilled meats very thinly against the grain, and cut the slices into small pieces. 

• Always include a melting cheese in your filling ingredients:  that is the “glue” that holds the quesadillas together.

• Adjust your barbecue temperature so that it will crisp but not scorch the tortillas:  MEDIUM-LOW works well.

• Brush the grids well so they are clean before you place the quesadilla on the barbecue.

• Have a large spatula and a set of long-handled tongs at the ready.

Here are some suggestions that you can mix and match from the table below to form your own creation. 

Protein (cooked)	Vegetables or Fruits		Cheese	Seasonings
Chicken	Roasted peppers		Cheddar	Chili powder
Pulled Pork	Seeded, chopped tomatoes		Monterey Jack	Chopped fresh cilantro
Bacon, crumbled	Black beans		Brie	Shredded basil
Beef (steak or roast)	Caramelized onions		Gorgonzola	Chopped Oregano
Lamb	Grilled zucchini		Mozzarella	Cumin
Duck Confit, shredded	Sautéed apples		Feta	Salt & Pepper
Sausage, chopped finely	Mango slices			Minced jalapeno peppers
	Avocado slices
	Cooked and mashed  sweet potato
	Sautéed mushrooms

Place the prepared quesadilla on the preheated grill for about 1 minute.  Slide the spatula underneath and rotate the quesadilla one quarter turn.  After another minute, using the spatula and tongs, flip the quesadilla to the other side.  One minute later give it a final quarter turn.  Slide the quesadilla onto a wooden cutting board and slice it into wedges with a pizza wheel or a large, sharp chef’s knife. 

Serve with Sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.

Sprinkle cheese on the tortilla.

Spread other filling ingredients leaving a 1/2" border.

Place second tortilla on top and brush with oil.

Sprinkle on more cheese.

Turn using a large spatula and tongs.

Cook until nicely crisped and golden.

Reid in 30 years

This weekend during their demonstrations,  Reid and Stephanie whipped up some beef and chicken quesadillas with the following ingredients:

•      Beef, roasted red pepper cream cheese, sautéed peppers, onions and mushrooms, shredded cheese.

•       Shredded rotisserie chicken, roasted and mashed sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and       shredded cheese.

•         Bacon, roasted red pepper, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, chili powder and shredded cheese.

Have fun with your creations!