Barbeque Quesadillas, Avocado Tortilla Soup And Best Chilaquiles Recipes

Barbeque Quesadillas, Avocado Tortilla Soup, and Best Chilaquiles Recipes

Tortillas are round, flatbreads made from either nixtamalized corn or wheat flour. Corn tortillas are usually smaller and hard when cold. To fold or roll corn tortillas, they must be warmed up first. Flour tortillas are usually larger and more pliable.

Corn tortillas have been produced and consumed in Mexico and Central American for thousands of years. As far back as 10,000 BCE the Aztecs ground corn to make tortilla dough. Small dough balls were then patted into a thin circular shape by hand.  The tortilla was then placed on a hot griddle and cooked on both sides.

Wheat was introduced to Mexico in the 1500s. Spanish colonists living in Northern Mexico began to make the flour tortillas shortly after, using a similar process with wheat. Flour tortillas continue to be more widely consumed in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.

Nowadays in Mexico, there are tortillerias, or tortilla factories that produce machine-cut or wood-pressed corn and flour tortillas, as well as many traditional corn tortilla makers that continue to pat them into shape by hand. Tortillas continue to be the mainstay of the Mexican diet and are eaten daily, if not with every meal.

Corn tortillas are naturally low in fat in sodium, but rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, and B vitamins, as well as fiber. Flour tortillas also contain iron and B vitamins, but are higher in calories, fat, and sodium. A serving of corn tortillas contains about a third of the calories and half or one third the fat of a serving of flour tortillas. Flour tortillas contain as much as 140 times more sodium than corn tortillas.
Both varieties are now available in many different varieties, including whole-grain, low-fat, low-sodium, flavored, etc., so it is always wise to read the label if you are concerned about making a healthy choice.

Corn tortillas are normally are served warm as an accompaniment to a main dish, such as meat, eggs, beans, vegetables, cheese, etc., but they are also eaten on their own with salt and chili. Corn tortillas are normally used to make tacos, flautas, tostadas, enchiladas, and tortilla chips, while flour tortillas are more commonly used to make burritos, quesadillas, and wraps.

Nowadays it is common to see both types of packaged tortillas worldwide. When selecting corn tortillas, try to look in the International or Mexican section of your supermarket, which should contain more authentic tortillas that contain the four necessary ingredients- nixtamalized corn, lime, water, salt. American brands tend to add in a lot of unnecessary chemicals and preservatives.


Chilaquiles Recipes

• 10 corn tortillas, cut into 8 triangles each, fried in canola oil until crispy
• 1 cup green Mexican salsa, room temperature, homemade or store-bought
• 2 tbsp diced onion
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• Sour cream
• Cilantro

Place fried tortillas on a large serving plate. Smother in green salsa. Sprinkle onion and cheese on top. Drizzle sour cream over the plate and garnish with cilantro. Serve with fried eggs and refried beans.



Avocado Tortilla Soup Recipe

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green chili pepper, chopped (optional)
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 quarts of water or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Tortilla chips, homemade or store-bought
• 2 ripe avocados, cubed
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1-3 ancho chilies (dried poblano chilies), sliced (optional)
• Cilantro
• Sour cream
• Lime wedges
• Canola Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium-sized pot, fry onion (and chili pepper) in oil over a medium flame, until golden. Add garlic and tomatoes, stir, and cover for 5 minutes or until tomatoes become soft. Transfer mixture to a blender, liquefy, and return to pot. Add water or vegetable stock, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and simmer until broth becomes flavorful.

Serve broth in soup bowls accompanied by a platter of tortilla chips, avocado, cheese, ancho chiles, lime wedges, cilantro, and sour cream for individual preparation.


Barbeque Quesadillas

• 1 package of 20 flour tortillas
• 1 lb. white cheese of choice, such as Jack, Mozzerella, Colby, etc.
• Barbequed vegetables of choice, such as portabello mushroom, bell peppers, etc. (optional)
• Place tortillas on warm grill until slightly soft. Fill with cheese and fold in half. Barbeque until cheese is melted, being careful not to burn tortilla. Remove from grill and eat, or carefully open to add grilled vegetables.

Serve with Green Avocado Salsa- see recipe at http://www.mykitchenvault.com/blog.php?id=30



Erica