Making an amazing homemade quesadilla is extremely easy...but having the knowledge to perfect it is far better.

ITEMS USED:

Pyrex Measuring Cup

Cuisinart® Stainless Steel Box Grater

INGREDIENTS:

Cheese Used -

• medium sharp cheddar

• Gruyere

• smoked cheddar

• monterey jack

Sweet n Sour Onions Ingredients -

• 3 tablespoons (42g) oil or butter

• 1 sweet onion

• 3.5 tbsp (50ml) balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon (5g) Honey

Vegetarian Filling Ingredients -

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 sliced trumpet mushrooms

• salt to taste

• 1 shallot

• 1 zucchini

• 1 red Fresno chili

• small handful fresh chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

Quesadilla Method

1. To start, make your salsa by charring your jalapeños on an open flame, peeling them, and blending them with roasted garlic oil until smooth and creamy.

2. To make your tortillas, mix flour with bacon fat and shortening, rolling them out by hand and cooking them individually.

3. When deciding between cheeses, make an effort to freshly grate your own and settle for any cheese that melts nicely. The mixture I use is equal parts cheddar, gruyere, Monterey Jack, and smoked cheddar. Once all is grated, toss together until well combined.

4. For our first quesadilla, a basic cheese, place a generous amount of your cheese mixture on one half of your tortilla, fold over and brush one side with melted butter. Place the buttered-side down into a cold skillet, and bring up to heat over medium until you get a nice golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Brush the other side of the tortilla with butter and flip, toast, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is melted.

5. To start making your steak quesadilla, thinly slice an onion and place in a skillet that has been heated with some canola oil. Over medium-high heat, cook while stirring often until the onions begin to soften and get some nice color. Season to taste. After about 5-8 minutes drizzle over your balsamic vinegar, stirring until it forms a glaze. Take onions off the heat and add your honey. Mix to combine.

6. For your beef, I am using a sirloin cap. Score the fat cap just to help it render out while cooking. Season generously with salt and pepper and place in a ripping hot and oiled skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare or about 130ºF.

7. Add your cheese mixture, your cubed steak, and sauteed onions into half of your tortilla, fold it up, brush with melted butter and cook the same as before.

8. For a vegetarian spin, heat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat and add your trumpet mushrooms seasoning to taste with salt, and cook undisturbed in the pan for about two minutes. Then add your thinly sliced shallot and saute for a few seconds to then follow up with one thinly sliced zucchini. Sautee the ingredients until the vegetables have nicely softened and in the last minute of cooking add a thinly sliced Fresno chili.

9. Follow previous steps for assembling and cooking your quesadilla, and enjoy!