SPICY CORN QUESADILLAS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 medium carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1 fresh chile, minced (seeded for a milder “hot”), or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne or to taste1

3 cups fresh, frozen, or canned cut corn

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1–2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

salt and ground black pepper to taste

11/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, or cubed cream cheese

8 tortillas (8- to 10-inch)

Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic. Sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Stir in the grated carrot and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the chile or cayenne, corn, cumin, coriander, and optional cilantro and cook, covered, for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat. Stir the cheese into the hot vegetables. Cover and let stand for a few minutes, until the cheese partially melts. Spread one-eighth of the filling on each tortilla. Cook the filled tortillas by following the procedure for Simple Quesadillas (see page 268).

PER QUESADILLA: 565 CALORIES, 19.9 G PROTEIN, 26.5 G FAT, 67.3 G CARBOHYDRATE, 435 MG SODIUM, 45 MG CHOLESTEROL.

FILLING PREPARATION TIME

20 minutes

SERVINGS

4

MENU

Not just a snack, this quesadilla is a substantial meal needing only some shredded lettuce and avocado to complement it.


1. If topping with salsa, a less spicy filling may be desirable.