Zucchini Quesadillas

Zucchini Quesadillas

Based on Deb Perelman's recipe in Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients

Makes

  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 700g zucchini
  • 1 lime
  • ~200g monterey jack cheese
  • 12 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 jalapeno

Prep

  1. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves
  2. Halve and thinly slice 700g zucchini
  3. Grate ~200g monterey jack cheese
  4. Halve 1 lime
  5. Thinly slice 1 avocado
  6. Thinly slice 1 jalapeno

Cooking

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add 3 Tbsp olive oil.
  2. Once oil is hot, add garlic. Stir until just golden at the edges (~1 minute).
  3. Add zucchini, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, turning over occasionally, until zucchini becomes soft and starts to break down (~5 minutes)
  4. Reduce heat slightly and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, at which point the zucchini will be jammy and very tender
  5. Add the juice of half a lime and scrape mixture into a wide bowl. Let cool slightly.
  6. Grate ~200g monterey jack cheese and to zucchini mixture. Mix.
  7. Lay out 6 of your tortillas and divide the filling between them, going all the way to the edges. Place remaining 6 tortillas on top.
  8. Heat a large skillet over medium and add a couple teaspoons of oil.
  9. Transfer your assembled quesadillas to the skillet and cook until deeply golden and crisp underneath, letting whatever cheese seeps out cook and crisp in the pan.
  10. Flip quesadilla and repeat on second side. Try to take all of the lacy brown cheese with you when you remove your finished quesadillas from the pan.
  11. Squeeze the juice of half a lime over them.
  12. Serve halved or in wedges with additional avocado and jalapeno.