When I saw this recipe posted over at Ezra Pound Cake (my co-conspirator for Barefoot Bloggers) this summer, I knew I needed to make it. I mean, seriously…how incredible do these quesadillas look?? Well, these zucchini and corn quesadillas were out.standing. Really. The veggies were perfectly sautéed while retaining just enough crunch to complement the soft, melted cheese. The only change I made to the recipe was to use a nice sharp cheddar in place of the pepper Jack and it was a great choice to use here. If you’re not looking for heat in recipe like this, be sure to use a cheese with some “umph” like sharp cheddar. While I love Monterrey Jack, I think it would get lost in this recipe. As a vegetarian meal, we were perfectly satisfied but if you need the meat, some grilled or sautéed chicken would probably be delicious added to the quesadillas. I think what I’m most excited about is that you can use frozen corn if fresh corn isn’t in season and that zucchini is available year-round in the grocery stores so we won’t have to wait until next summer to eat these again!
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Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas
adapted from Everyday Food; found on Ezra Pound Cake
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- Salt
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 ear of corn, grilled and removed from the ear (my preference) or 1 cup frozen corn kernels (4 ounces)
- 7 oz canned black beans (or half of a 15oz can), rinsed, drained and dried
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt, cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute more.
- Add zucchini, corn kernels, and black beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is soft and corn is tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, if using.
- Brush one side of all tortillas with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; lay 2 tortillas, oiled side down, on a baking sheet. Place half of the filling on each, and sprinkle with half the cheese. Place remaining 2 tortillas on top, oiled side up; press down gently with spatula to seal.
- Bake until cheese has melted and tortillas are golden brown, turning once, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool slightly. To serve, slice each quesadilla into wedges.
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