Blue Cheese & Pear Quesadillas With Mango Salsa
Executive chef Enedina Andrews of Denver’s Clandestine Chef Experience created this pleasing take on the conventional quesadilla. The creamy sweetness is juxtaposed with a little bite from the onion and jalapeño, and crunch from the crisped tortilla. Andrews recommends this as a brunch side dish, along with scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes with fresh thyme, and a fruit salad of raspberries, blueberries and pineapple.
Quesadilla
6 ounces soft Maytag blue cheese
12 snack-size flour tortillas
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
12 whole dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
Canola oil
Honey
Mango salsa ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into small dice
1 small jalapeño pepper, cut into small dice
1/4 cup red onion, cut into small dice
Half of one lime, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Directions
For salsa: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For quesadillas: Spread the softened blue cheese on one tortilla, stopping short of the edges. Place pear, diced apricots and red onion atop the cheese. Top with another tortilla. Use enough canola oil to coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet, and put over medium heat. place the quesadilla in the pan. Cook until golden (5 minutes or so) and flip. Remove from pan. Drizzle with honey and mango salsa, cut into fat triangles, and serve promptly. Serves 6 to 8.
