Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Quesadillas with poblano rajas

There are not many foods simpler than a quesadilla. Tortillas, cheese, heat, eat. Of course there are many variations on the basic version, and I think my favorite happens to be the addition of poblano rajas. Poblano rajas is a mixture of roasted poblano chiles, onion, garlic and Mexican oregano. I adapted this recipe from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen.

The recipe starts with poblano peppers. These peppers are pretty mild, but there is some heat packed into the seeds and veins, so take caution when removing those. The peppers are roasted until blackened, peeled, and cut into thin strips.

poblano peppersThe onions and garlic are cooked separately in a pan. I like to use a red onion in this recipe because it adds a hint of sweetness.

red onionAfter the onions and garlic are cooked, the pepper strips are added. The whole mixture is seasoned with salt, pepper and mexican oregano. I keep both Mexican and Mediterranean oregano on hand. If you don’t have Mexican oregano, you can substitute a different variety, but the flavor won’t be exactly the same.

poblano rajasOnce the poblano rajas is done, it’s time to assemble the quesadillas. The original recipe calls for corn tortillas and Mexican cheese. I typically use flour tortillas with whatever cheese we have on hand. Not exactly traditional, but convenient and still delicious. This time around, I used flour tortillas with white cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and topped each quesadilla with avocado and cilantro.

quesadillas with poblano rajas Poblano rajas
Makes about 2 cups

1 pound poblano peppers, seeded, roasted and peeled
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium red onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the peppers and onion into 1/4 inch slices. Heat the oil at medium heat in a skillet. Add the red onion, cook for 5-7 minutes until translucent and slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the poblanos and oregano to the pan, season with salt and pepper to taste.

61 comments:

Maria said...

I love quesadillas on busy week nights. Looks so good!

Unknown said...

Red onions and quesadillas are two of my favorite things! It looks great. Your food is always so colorful!

Anonymous said...

Yum! Quesadillas sound so good with poblano rajas! Excellent!

Irene said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe, it looks delicious! I love red onions too, they really add a zing.

♥peachkins♥ said...

I love quesadillas..usually it's just cheese quesadila but delicious as well..

Dewi said...

Oh I have that book too Sara, I must look in to it. It looks super delicious!

The Fajdich Times said...

Quesadillas are my favorite. Your pictures are wonderful. Yum:)

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A yummy speciality! I love anything that is made with tortillas...

Cheers,

Rosa

Pearl said...

looks so delicious!

Unknown said...

Girl, we love poblanos here! Very nice.

LaDue & Crew said...

Yum! You and me think alike... I roasted some Poblano's 2 days ago for a chicken dish... love them!

Deb in Hawaii said...

Yum! Your quesadillas look amazing. I need to drag out my Rick Bayless cookbooks again I think!

Jenna said...

I've never had pablano rajas but it sound right up my alley!! These quesadilla's look wonderful.

Christo Gonzales said...

this sounds good - I usually have rajas con crema but hey without the cream they seem just as good.....

lubnakarim06 said...

Oh wow they look awesome....

Cathy said...

I adore anything with poblanos. It's been a really long time since I made quesadillas - time to change that.

Soma said...

Sara this is exactly what i do (with cilantro or different herbs at different times)!! i love poblano, & have a supply at home most of the time. onions & the poblanos make quesadillas the king of the menu:-) didn't know that this is what it was called..

Melissa @ For the Love of Health said...

amazing Sara! You truly are a chef :-) Anything with cheese is good for me.

check out my giveaway if you get a sec!

Jennifer said...

Mexican food is my all time fave! Those look spectacular!

Zoe said...

aw man look at that gooey cheese...yum!

Heather S-G said...

Yum, one of my favorite ways of preparing poblanos! These sound soooo tasty!

NKP said...

That looks soooo good!

stephchows said...

I love the heat of poblanos, and using whatever cheese on hand is the way to go :)

Creative Classroom Core said...

Those are some killer sounding quesadillas! So tasty!

Nutmeg Nanny said...

Yummy I love quesadillas....these look soooooooo good.

The Food Hunter said...

This looks really good.

The Duo Dishes said...

This is pure and simple, which you can tell from the short ingredient list. You can taste each thing.

teresa said...

This looks delicious, I love the different variation. You can't beat a good quesadilla!

Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog said...

Oh Sara I adore quesadillas because they’re quick and this specially with poblano more onions is burst of flavor :)

Cheers!

Gera

Anonymous said...

These look excellent!

The Blonde Duck said...

I LOVE quesdillas!

Muneeba said...

Just made some quesadillas last night! Hmmm, now I think I'll add the poblanos and red onions to spice things up :)

Amanda @ Mrs.W's Kitchen said...

Mmm, poblanos. This looks fantastic! I love them stuffed with cheese, too.

Diana said...

Those onions are perfectly caramelized - I can practically taste the sweet/spicy combination!

Reeni said...

The poblano rajas sounds so delicious! And it takes these quesadillas to a whole new level!

Bharti said...

This is right up my alley! Love it.

Christina Kim said...

What a great way to make a simple quesadilla more interesting and flavorful. I especially love the chunky avocados!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Such a nice recipe. Love your pictures.

Unknown said...

so colorful.. great.:)
I have AWARD for you... grab it!
see ya.. ^^

Culinary Wannabe said...

Quesadillas are usually my go-to lunch item. How great is it that you can practically throw whatever leftovers you have in a tortilla shell, and have a spectacular meal. I like the way you spiced it up with the peppers!

Debbie said...

That picture is so good that I can literally taste the quesadilla!!!

Colleen said...

This looks wonderful - any variation on a quesadilla works for me!

Manggy said...

I always love a bit of spice! Quesadillas remind me of my time in SFO-- easy lunch for my little cousins! Love this! :)

Cherie said...

Mexican, my favourite. If only I could get my hands on some organic tortillas!

Katie Zeller said...

I could get those lovely peppers in Andorra... but not here in France!

The Short (dis)Order Cook said...

I love quesadillas. Thank you for this variation. Definitely adds a kick to have those peppers in there.

Kerstin said...

What a great twist on classic quesadillas, they look so good!

Sarah said...

Simple and beautiful! Looks tasty.

nora@ffr said...

wow!! i love quesadilas :) yers sound absolutely fantastic. lovely pics as usual sara.
cheers!!

foodcreate said...

Yummy! I love the taste of quesadillas with pobanos looks so good!

Thanks for sharing your recipe!

Have A Great Day!

Marta said...

Delicious quesadillas Sara! It's great to find refreshing new spins on this new classic! I love the combo of peppers and onions, they complement each other very well!

Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...

Great photos! I love poblanos...less heat and lots of flavor.

Chef Fresco said...

Very nice looking quesadillas! Looks like they're straight out of a restaurant!

test it comm said...

Those quesadillas look really good!

La Bella Cooks said...

What a delicious recipe. I could easily get used to having these often!

Robin said...

The poblano rajas must add such a nice deep flavor to such a simple dish. I will have to try this as we make quesadillas often around here.

Ana Powell said...

I love your food, its always full of vibrant colours.
Just perfect x

Yasmeen said...

I love the mild heat of poblanos,the quesadillas look fantastic:)

Stacey Snacks said...

Sara,
I am going to try these this weekend with a little guacamole on the side?
Have a great weekend!

Jan said...

I love quesadillas, peppers, onions and cheese sound like a delightful combination. I have never had poblano peppers, I will have to look out for them.

Jessica@FoodMayhem said...

I love poblanos and I love quesadillas. What more could I ask for?