Cooking For One: Avocado Quesadillas

14

Posted by on Thursday, May 20th, 2010

MORE QUESADILLAS: Avocado Quesadillas, Cilantro Succatash Quesadillas, Curried Sweet Potato Quesadillas, Butternut Squash & Leek Confit Quesadillas, Spinach Pie Quesadilas

In his book A Platter of Figs, David Tanis has a recipe for avocado quesadillas. I remember reading it at my mom’s over breakfast and noticing that it sounded delicious, but also thinking it was curious to be featured in a book that also contained recipes about how to make duck leg hams from scratch. Of course the idea of the cookbook, captured in its name, is that simplicity can trump complication. Thus, the three ingredient quesadilla, thus the platter of figs.

I couldn’t get the idea of this quesadilla out of my head. But I had one major concern about it. Warm avocado is not my favorite, and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels a little squeamish about this. It’s one thing if fajita fillings warm the guacamole slightly, and it’s a sacrifice worth making for seven-layer dip. But if I were going out of my way to put it in a quesadilla, I thought I owed it to myself to figure out a process that would keep the avocado as cool as possible. I melted the cheese with the tortilla open faced and then spread on the guacamole at the last minute, just before folding and eating.
I don’t know exactly why having the avocado inside of the quesadilla seems like such a treat when, if I have an avocado, I could just as easily dip each bite into homemade guacamole–or just into avocado mash. But I guess there’s something in the promise of a perfectly balanced bite of tortilla, avocado, and cheese. This makes a satisfying meal for one, but I can also imagine it as the starter to a larger feast.
From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,
Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipe**

Avocado Quesadillas
Makes 1

In David Tanis’s recipe, if I recall correctly, the cheese was mozzarella, whose stretchiness when melted is, I imagine, a great counterpoint to the creamy avocado. It’s on my list to try!

Ingredients
1/2 avocado
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter
1 tortilla
1/4 cup grated white cheddar

Mash the avocado with the lemon or lime juice and the salt.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Lay the tortilla down and sprinkle the cheddar across the surface. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is deeply golden. Quickly spread the avocado mixture across one half of the tortilla. Turn off the heat and fold the tortilla in half, pressing down so the melted cheese glues it together.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Originally posted on Thursday, May 20th, 2010

  • http://www.meganlaneisinyourears.blogspot.com Megan Lane

    yummmmm! i want one of these right now! definitely will be keeping it in mind for the next time i eat solo.

  • http://www.inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com sheena

    oh yum!

    just found your blog….loving it!

  • Kate

    I am with Megan, I want this now, there is nothing I love more than avocados. Also, I haven’t read this book yet–11 days and then maybe we’ll read it together over breakfast at mom’s!

  • http://otm-inthegalley.blogspot.com/ SeattleDee

    I LOVE each element separately, but can’t quite wrap my taste buds around the combination. This calls for a trial run, immediately.

    I’m curious – corn or flour tortilla preference?

  • http://www.Eclectic-Unions.com Jessie

    Simple but this sounds so delicious. I think mozzarella would be so delicious – mild flavor, but wonderful texture contrast. Yum!

  • http://www.theshortandthesweetofit.com/ Kirby

    This sounds amazing! Totally get what you mean about the avocado inside the quesadilla making it more special

  • http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite

    I absolutely LOVE the idea of this. So simple, fresh and summery! One of my favourite snacks is fresh avocado on a fresh baguette so this is my kinda dish!!!

  • UncleD

    A little high on the fat side for us three-quarter lifers. Cheddar and avocado are an interesting choice. Other cheese flavor suggestions?

  • http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/ BGSK

    Hi Uncle D!

    I (Phoebe) really like using Monterrey Jack in quesadillas. Also, tried a really nice Smoked Cheddar the other day inside some flautas and they were a huge hit!

    Don’t know what to say about the fat content. I thought you Cali 3/4-Lifers lived on avocado!

  • Anonymous

    I’ve recently started ordering avocado and cheese quesadillas from my favorite mexican restaurants after ordering at one place that thought I meant I wanted it in the quesadilla, not on the side. They really are delicious! I love your trick to spread it on last minute so it stays relatively cold.

  • Amy

    Avacado is good in moderation it gives all you 3/4 Lifers the good fats that protect from dymentia and restore fluid to your joints. My grandpa, who is going to be 89 in September, loves Avacados and has 3-4 a week. He is in perfect health and dr’s have even attributed his diet to staving off the diabetes that has threatened to creep up recently. He lives insulin free and is less on the edge now than he was 3 years ago. For the cheese try a lower fat option such as feta, or just get a reduced fat cheese. The flavor of the avacado will overcome the lack of flavor with the reduced fat cheese. Try fat free cream cheese! I lived on fat free cream cheese quesedillas when my mom went through her fat free kick in the 90s…

  • http://www.chewonthatblog.com Sophia

    I could totally eat cheese and bread in any form, especially quesadillad. They’re so easy to make and they really fill me up. Your recipe looks delicious. I usually make these Quick Chicken Quesadillas – http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/quick_chicken_quesadillas.htm – I love them!

  • Purpleirislight

    I just tried this. Delicious! Unfortunately my avocado was a bit too crunchy :/

  • Purpleirislight

    I just tried this. Delicious! Unfortunately my avocado was a bit too crunchy :/