Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Cactus Leaf Quesadillas or Quesadillas de Tinga de Nopal

Tinga de Nopal Quesadillas.- (Cactus Leaf Quesadillas)
1/2 k de masa para tortilla (buy at tortilleria)
4 tsp Marjoram lead, chopped
1 tbl achiote paste
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup oive oil
TINGA:
4 cactus leaves cut in julienne strips
1/2 onion cut in julienne strips
2 Roma tomatoes cut in julienne strips
1 Chipotle pepper (canned) cut in julienne strips
1 tbl butter or margarine
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp oregano leaves, finely cut (or dried)
1 cup vegetable stock (or from cubes like Knorr)
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 tbl Mexican Crema
1 cup vegetable oil
Green Sauce w/ Avocado:
4 large tomatillos
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 avocado, cubed (in lemon water)
2 tbls chopped cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove
2 tbls olive oil
4 tbls ranchero cheese, grated (or Cotijo)
2 green plantains (platano Macho)
To ready the masa, put in large bowl and add achiote previously dissolved in the OJ and olive oil and marjoram leaf. Don't mix too much, just until well combined and reserve. For the sauce, put tomatillo, onion, garlic and cilantro in a dry pan and roast lightly and then either use molcajete or blender to mix. Leave chunky. Add salt & pepper and avocado cubes, leave at room temperature. Melt butter with some olive oil drops and add the juliennes of onion for a minute then the nopal, garlic, oregano and chipotle; then add tomato, salt & pepper and cook for 10 min or so, cool and reserve. Hopefully you will have a tortilla machine or if not you can use a zip lock bag, open on the sides to put the masa in the middle and extend with a dish, jar or roller or wine bottle (hey, if you don't want to make tortilla products you don't a tortilla press, it's ok), so extend a ball of masa, smaller than a golf ball and put some of the nopal on one side of the tortilla, double over the other side and seal by pressing the sides together; put vegetable oil in a frying pan and when hot, drop the quesadilla in and fry on one side then turn (this is why they have to be well sealed). Put on paper towels and reserve. Cut the plantain on a mandolin or slice very thin on the bias (diagonal cuts or just thin slices) and fry in the oil until golden, insure oil not smoking or lower heat, ok? put on paper towels too. As soon as you take them out of the oil, sprinkle a little salt over them. Now you have all the elements ready and can serve. Put 3 quesadillas on plate, add some crema and sprinkle cheese on top, place fried plantains on top and some of the green sauce on the side with cilantro leaves as decoration.

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