Smoky Corn Quesadilla

The boys and I got stuck in late-afternoon traffic on Friday so I had to come up with a different dinner then what I had originally planned on making that evening. Since I’d had enough stress sitting in traffic with my learning-to-drive teenager at the wheel, I wanted to make something easy with ingredients I already had on hand. A quick search on the Fine Cooking website led me to this recipe for Smoky Corn Quesadillas. Perfect

I loved the combination of smooth and creamy Jack cheese, slightly crunchy fresh corn off the cob, smoked paprika, and chopped cilantro! Really simple ingredients that work great together. The recipe called for adding 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt to the cheese/corn mixture but I don’t think it’s needed so I omitted it. I used soft taco tortillas that were a little over 8″ in size. Fresh corn is best for this but you could use thawed frozen corn if good fresh corn isn’t available (Trader Joe’s sells frozen Roasted Corn that would make a nice substitute and add more smoky flavor).

The recipe states that it serves 2 but I think that’s assuming you’re serving the quesadillas with a side dish like a black bean salad or Mixed Greens with Southwestern Vinaigrette. One hungry person could easily eat both quesadillas so take that into consideration and multiply the recipe to make more if needed. Enjoy!

Smoky Corn Quesadillas
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

There’s no need to precook the corn kernels for these simple, satisfying quesadillas. As long as you use fresh corn, the raw kernels will lend a bit of juicy sweetness and a crisp crunch. The smoky flavor comes from smoked paprika. Servings: 2

1/4 cup fresh corn kernels (from half a medium ear)

1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Lime wedges and sour cream, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the corn, Monterey Jack, cilantro, paprika, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Divide the mixture between the tortillas, scattering it over half of each; fold the tortillas in half.

Heat the oil in a heavy-duty 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the quesadillas and cook until browned and crisp on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip and continue to cook until browned and crisp on the other side, 1 minute more. Let cool slightly, cut into wedges, and serve with lime wedges and sour cream.