Grilled Chili Cheese Quesadillas
Try this Mexican Cooking Answer to Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Quesadillas, which literally mean "little cheesies," are nothing more than the grilled cheese sandwiches of Mexico: cheese (traditionally, crumbly mild white Mexican cheese) layered between bread (in this case, flour tortillas).
In their most traditional form, quesadillas are cooked in butter or oil on a hot griddle or in a frying pan. Many modern cooks, especially those trying to cut down on the fat and up the convenience factor, will pop a quesadilla under a hot broiler to melt and brown.
But during grilling season, the backyard barbecue is the ideal place to cook quesadillas. They're quick and easy to prepare, making them perfect items to throw on the grill as soon as the fire is hot, and then serve to guests as a grilled appetizer while larger main courses cook more slowly on the grill. And the intense heat and smoke of an outdoor grill adds wonderfully to the pleasures of quesadillas, making them extra crispy and enhancing their flavor.
In the following easy grilling recipe, a smear of hot pepper sauce and a crumble of queso fresco, fresh Mexican white cheese, make a simple yet eloquent grilled quesadilla. Be sure to see the tips that follow the recipe for options if you can't find Mexican white cheese or want to try embellishing the recipe in some way.
Grilled Chili Cheese Quesadillas Recipe
Serves 4 to 8
Ingredients:
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
- 3/4 pound mild white fresh Mexican cheese, crumbled
Method:
- Preheat the grill.
- Just before cooking, brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil. Carefully oil the grill rack and place the tortillas on the grill. With a long-handled knife or spatula or the back of a long-handled spoon, immediately spread the pepper sauce over the entire top of each tortilla; then, quickly scatter the cheese over half of the surface.
- With long-handled grilling tongs, immediately fold the uncovered half of each tortilla over the cheese. Cook until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are deep golden brown on both sides, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes total cooking time.
- With the tongs or a long-handled spatula, remove the quesadillas from the grill. Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, cut them into wedges. Serve immediately.
Tips and Variations:
- If you can't find mild, crumbly white Mexican cheese in the refrigerated case of your market, substitute mild feta cheese. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese is also good.
- Use any popular brand of bottled hot sauce, from Tabasco to the excellent imported Mexican brand called Cholula. Also very good is Sriracha, the popular Asian bottled pepper sauce flavored with garlic.
- If you like, add a little finely chopped fresh cilantro or chives, or some crumbled dried oregano, along with the cheese.
Make this the start of a grilled Mexican feast. (Want another great Mexican-style grill recipe? Check out Mexican Grilled Chicken Burgers.)
