Recipe: Appetizer: Quesadillas and variations

Don't overlook the simple satisfaction of Quesadillas - particularly at about the second round of cocktails! These easy Mexican-inspired nibbles are endlessly adaptable to whatever ingredients are at hand. All you need are some flour tortillas and a skillet, and you're set. You can even make a batch in advance, stash them in the fridge, and then reheat for serving.

Here's the basic "technique" - if you have a filling that needs to be mixed up, do so. Otherwise, you can just layer your ingredients right on the tortillas. Put a flour tortilla on a flat work surface and spread or place your filling on one half of each tortilla, nearly to the edge. Then fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling.

Heat about ½ tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add a quesadilla or two (whatever will fit) and cook, turning once, until filling is warmed/melted and exterior of tortilla is toasted and slightly crisped. Cut quesadilla into wedges and serve. Salsa, guacamole, sour cream make great accompaniments - or just serve unadorned and delicious. Simple!

Now, here are some of our favorite fillings:

Potato & Cheese: This is a perfect use for leftover roasted or breakfast potatoes! (In a pinch, even leftover french fries will do the trick!) Just dice the potatoes into about ½" pieces, toss with grated cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, whatever!) and a handful of chopped cilantro and/or minced jalapeno pepper. We love bubbly with these babies!

Shrimp: Roughly chop boiled shrimp and mix with grated Monterey Jack and some chopped green onions. Particularly good with guacamole alongside. Pair with Sauvignon Blanc.

Barbecue Chicken: Shred roasted or baked chicken, mix with a bit of your favorite barbecue sauce and spread on tortillas. Sprinkle with grated cheese and a bit of minced red onion. Great with Rioja or even Zinfandel.

Goat Cheese: Spread your favorite pesto on the tortillas, then lay strips of roasted red bell pepper on top. Finally, sprinkle with crumbled fresh goat cheese. These are particularly wine friendly - think Sauvignon Blanc!

Chorizo: Cook some Chorizo or your favorite sausage, breaking it up into a "ground meat" like texture. Mix with chopped red onion and a generous handful of cilantro. Spread over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Great with all kinds of red wines.

Black bean: Mix a can of your favorite black beans (or other type of beans) with fresh or canned corn, grated Monterey Jack, chopped cilantro, and a bit of minced jalapeno. The earthy black beans make us reach for a Pinot Noir or maybe a Cotes du Rhone.

(Quick Entertaining, august 2004)