Quesadilla

Wed, 30 May 2018

Simple, quick and satisfying, a quesadilla is based around a hot tortilla folded over with cheese (queso), which sticks it all together. Here, we charred some sweetcorn to give it extra flavour and bite, and made it into a lovely salsa with black beans. Along with some avocado and vegan cheese, it’s turned into this delicious Mexican snack!

Serves 4

15 mins

INGREDIENTS

·         1 x 250g tin of sweetcorn

·         1 x 400g tin of black beans

·         1 fresh red chilli

·         20 cherry tomatoes (different coloured ones, ideally)

·         1 tablespoon oil

·         1 tablespoon ground cumin

·         1 teaspoon ground coriander

·         Juice of 1 lime

·         ½ teaspoon sea salt

·         A bunch of fresh coriander

·         1 ripe avocado

·         1 x 200g pack of vegan cheese (or 1 x nacho cheese - page 141 Recipes for Happiness)

·         4 wholemeal/corn tortillas or wraps

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Drain the sweetcorn and black beans separately, and rinse thoroughly. Chop the chilli finely, removing the seeds if you want it less spicy. Chop the cherry tomatoes into quarters.

Put 1 tablespoon of oil on to a griddle or into a frying pan on a high heat. Add the sweetcorn and cook until it starts to char slightly (3–4 minutes). Next, add the black beans, chilli, cumin, coriander, half the lime juice, the cherry tomatoes and the salt and cook for a further 3 minutes. While cooking, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans so that they break up – they will hold the salsa together.

Chop the fresh coriander roughly and stir half of it into the pan. Remove the salsa from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Cut the avocado in half and slice lengthways while still in the skin. Using a spoon, remove the slices from the skin into another small bowl. Grate the cheese into another bowl, or if using nacho cheese have it ready to spread. Give the griddle/frying pan a quick wash.

Put the dry pan back on a high heat and put in a tortilla. Add a generous handful of grated cheese or 2 tablespoons of nacho cheese and spread it around the tortilla. Add a serving of salsa, a few slices of avocado, and finish with another handful of cheese or a dollop of nacho cheese. Once the tortilla or wrap starts to brown, fold it in half so it becomes a half circle. Wait until the cheese starts to melt and stick it together.

Remove from the heat and slice in two. Repeat till you have made enough. Eat while hot!