I never really encountered Mexican food until I moved to Los Angeles in the mid 1970s. But I loved it from the start. All those robust ingredients and flavors, especially the spices, and the way the cuisine so creatively combines the ingredients and cooking styles of both indigenous peoples and European settlers, excited me, and still do today.
So I’ll definitely be eating Mexican food this coming weekend. And not just because it’s Cinco de Mayo, the lively annual celebration commemorating the Battle of Puebla in 1862, an unlikely victory of 4,500 Mexicans over a better-equipped, better-trained force of 6,000 French soldiers.
This year, that holiday also features another greatly anticipated fight: Mexican-American boxer Oscar De La Hoya defending his junior middleweight championship against welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr., at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (The fight will be telecast on HBO Pay Per View at 8 p.m. CDT.)
Whether you’re planning to watch the bout or celebrate the holiday some other way, I’ve got the perfect snack food for you: spicy steak quesadillas. They’re so easy to make, and they go great with soft drinks, beer or margaritas.
The first quesadilla I ever ate reminded me of a great pizza. That’s because at its most basic, a quesadilla is just a flour tortilla (like a thin pizza crust) cooked crisp with lots of cheese and some tomato salsa. Unlike pizza, the quesadilla is usually cooked with a little oil on a hot griddle or frying pan. But like its Italian cousin, it can be creatively embellished with all kinds of other ingredients.
One of my favorites is grilled or broiled steak. You can cook the meat any way you like and to any degree of doneness. For that matter, the recipe also works with leftover steak or roast beef, or other cooked meat or poultry. Feel free to change the cheese according to your preferences, too. And, to make the recipe easier, use a good-quality fresh salsa from the market’s refrigerated case but be sure to drain off excess liquid so the quesadilla won’t turn soggy.
Speaking of liquid, don’t forget the margaritas. I always start with a good-quality tequila, and then elaborate it with whatever fresh, juicy fruit I like — such as mango puree, passion fruit, strawberries, watermelon or raspberries. The salt that traditionally rims the glass is optional; but if you like it, just moisten the rim with a little tequila and roll it in salt crystals.
!Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Spicy steak quesadillas
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
4 flour tortillas, each 12 inches in diameter
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 sirloin steak, about 8 ounces, grilled or broiled, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chili, minced
1/4 cup prepared tomato salsa, drained of excess liquid, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Cilantro sprigs
1. Place 2 of the flour tortillas on a work surface; evenly spread 1/4 cup of the cheese on top of each tortilla. Divide the steak evenly between the 2 tortillas. Sprinkle with jalapeno to taste. Spoon 1/4 cup of the salsa over each; top with the remaining cheese. Place another tortilla on top of each quesadilla; press down firmly with your hands to seal.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat; add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil; swirl to coat the bottom. Lower heat to medium; carefully transfer one of the quesadillas to the pan. Cook until the bottom tortilla is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully slide the quesadilla onto a dinner plate; invert another plate over it. Hold them securely together; flip plates to leave the quesadilla browned side up. Slide tortilla back into the hot pan to cook the other side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining quesadilla.
3. Cut quesadillas into 8 to 10 wedges. Transfer to a serving platter; garnish with more salsa and cilantro sprigs.
Nutrition information per serving:
561 calories, 35% of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 66 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 809 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
Mango margaritas
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 cocktails
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce orange-flavored liqueur
2 tablespoons pureed ripe mango
2 tablespoons superfine sugar, see note
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover; blend until smooth. Serve in chilled glasses, rimmed with salt if you like.
Note: If you do not have superfine sugar, you can make it by processing granulated sugar in a food processor until fine.
Nutrition information per serving:
176 calories, 0% of calories from fat, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 22 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 2 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber
