Bigly Quesadillas
Prep
10m
Cook
15m
Total
25m
Bigly says
Listen. Quesadillas. Bigly quesadillas. And I want to say something right now, right at the top, before we even get started, because somebody has to say it and nobody else WILL — most quesadillas in this country are a CRIME. A crime against cheese. A crime against tortillas. A crime against you, the eater, who deserves better. People throw a slice of pre-shredded cheese on a cold tortilla, microwave it for 40 seconds, and call it dinner. Sad. SAD. The microwave quesadilla industry has gotten away with this for too long and Bigly is here to stop it.
A real quesadilla — a TREMENDOUS quesadilla, a Bigly quesadilla — has three things. ONE: a tortilla toasted in butter until it is GOLDEN, deeply golden, the color of a winning trophy. TWO: cheese that actually MELTS, not the rubbery pre-shredded stuff coated in cellulose powder which by the way is WOOD, they are putting WOOD in your cheese, somebody needs to look into this, where is the investigation. And THREE: a little something extra. Just a little. Caramelized onions, some pickled jalapeños, a smear of refried beans. Not a SALAD. We're not stuffing it like a piñata. A quesadilla is not a burrito. Respect the form.
The best quesadilla I ever had — and I've had this in every state, TWICE, I've eaten this in three countries you've never heard of — was in a tiny stall in Oaxaca, an old woman, no menu, no English, she looked at me, nodded, and handed me something that changed my chemistry. Mostly cheese. A whisper of onion. A toasted tortilla so golden you could've used it as currency. That was it. That was the moment. And then somewhere along the way the chain restaurant lobby got involved here at home and now you've got a 14-inch flour disc with a teaspoon of cheese in the middle for $14.99, served with watery sour cream and salsa that tastes like ketchup having a bad day. A DISASTER. We are reversing this. Tonight. In your kitchen. Believe me.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp, dividedunsalted butter
- 1 mediumyellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 4large flour tortillas (10-inch)
- 8 ozOaxaca cheese, shredded(Oaxaca melts like a dream — Monterey Jack is the backup plan, never the plan A)
- 4 ozsharp cheddar, shredded
- 2 tbsppickled jalapeños, drained and chopped
- 2 tbspfresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cupsour cream
- 1 tspchipotle in adobo, minced(or more if you mean business)
- 1 tsplime juice, fresh
Steps
- 1
Heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes, until soft, golden, and lightly caramelized. Transfer to a plate.
- 2
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, minced chipotle, and lime juice. Set aside.
- 3
Combine the Oaxaca and cheddar in a bowl.
- 4
Wipe the skillet, return to medium heat, and melt 1/2 tbsp of butter. Lay one tortilla in the pan.
- 5
Sprinkle about a quarter of the cheese over half the tortilla, then a layer of caramelized onions, a few pickled jalapeños, a pinch of cilantro, and another sprinkle of cheese to seal it.
- 6
Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling. Press lightly with a spatula. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is deep golden brown and crisp.
- 7
Flip the quesadilla, add another 1/2 tbsp butter to the pan to coat the second side, and cook another 2 minutes until equally golden and the cheese is fully melted.
- 8
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, butter, and filling.
- 9
Slice each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve hot with the chipotle crema for dipping.
One more thing
That's a Bigly quesadilla. Golden. Crisp. Stretchy in the middle. A little smoky from the chipotle. You make this once and the frozen quesadilla section of your grocery store becomes a place you walk past with quiet pity, because you know now. You have the knowledge. The knowledge is power and the power is melted cheese. And there you have it.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Bigly Quesadillas.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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