A little gooey and a little crunchy and altogether scrumptious, these quesadillas go quickly, so have plenty of the ingredients on hand. Use the quantities as a guideline more than a strict recipe. I pick up wonderful freshly made corn tortillas at Alicia’s Tortilleria (1314 Rufina Circle, Santa Fe; 505-438-9545). I like to keep summer sweet corn from our farmers’ market in my freezer for dishes like this, but Trader Joe’s and some other supermarkets sell already roasted corn kernels in their freezer section. If you have a number of children in your group, or folks who aren’t accustomed to New Mexico chile, you can offer it separately rather than mix it into the corn. These can be made a few at a time on a griddle or in the oven, as you wish. Keep them warm for up to 30 minutes in a 275° F oven.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups roasted corn kernels
- 2 cups chopped roasted New Mexico green chile
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 2 to 2½ pounds queso Oaxaca, asadero, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Vegetable oil spray
- 36 corn tortillas
Mexican hot sauce such as Cholula, Búfalo, or Valentina (optional)
Makes 18 quesadillas
- Warm butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add corn, green chile, and salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until everything is heated through. Keep warm over very low heat.
- Spray a griddle or large heavy skillet with oil, just enough to coat surface. Warm it over medium heat. Cover a tortilla with a few tablespoons of cheese and a tablespoon or two of the corn-and-chile mixture. Top with a second tortilla. Repeat with as many more quesadillas as will fit on griddle. Cook, turning once, until cheese has melted and tortillas are lightly browned and chewy-crispy, about 1 minute per side. Slice into quarters and serve.