Chorizo and Jalapeno Quesadillas
This is one of my favorite recipes lately. The chorizo sausage and roasted jalapenos blend perfectly with the red chili sauce. I could (and have been) eating these every day They also reheat very well in just a couple of minutes. You can ease up on the jalapenos if you dont like the food so spicy, but I wouldnt
This is one of my favorite recipes lately. The chorizo sausage and roasted jalapenos blend perfectly with the red chili sauce. I could (and have been) eating these every day They also reheat very well in just a couple of minutes. You can ease up on the jalapenos if you dont like the food so spicy, but I wouldnt
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 16 oz. chorizo sausage thinly sliced
- 8 tbs colorado red chili sauce
- 8 large jalapenos roasted, skinned, seeded
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 1 tbls vegetable oil extra for tortillas
- 12 oz. white cheddar cheese grated
- 4 oz. fresh gouda cheese grated
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbls fresh cilantro chopped
- Carbohydrate 127.768354690722 g
- Cholesterol 110.70675 mg
- Fat 63.5484893234536 g
- Fiber 8.26914700839077 g
- Protein 48.0681283569588 g
- Saturated Fat 24.5238504091495 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (399g)
- Sodium 2597.90327835051 mg
- Sugar 119.499207682331 g
- Trans Fat 3.10730873969072 g
- Calories 1286 calories
Step-by-step
- Roast the jalapenos over the flame on your oven (or under the broiler) until the skin is blackened, but the peppers aren't burned. Transfer them to a sealable container or a Ziploc bag and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Next, slice the Chorizo, then chop the onions into thin strips. In a heavy skillet, cook the sausage, onions, cumin in the tbls of oil over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Grate the cheese and mix thoroughly, then put in a covered container and keep in the refrigerator so as it doesn't get gummy.
- Remove the jalapenos from the container, peel the skin off with your fingers, keep a bowl of water handy for rinsing the blackened skin from your fingers. DO NOT skin the peppers under running water as this washes the tasty oils and the roasted flavor from the pepper. Slice into thin strips and set aside.
- Assemble the quesadillas by laying out 4 tortillas and coat with 2 tbls of the red chili sauce (another recipe). Spread the chorizo sausage evenly over the tortillas followed by the cheese and the jalapeno strips. Sprinkle with 1/2 tbls chopped cilantro per tortilla.
- In the heavy skillet, drizzle a small amount of oil then warm over medium heat until hot. Transfer the quesadilla to the skillet and place another tortilla on top of it, very lightly brushing it with vegetable oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the quesadilla, (I like to place a large plate on top of the quesadilla and then quickly invert the skillet...careful!). Repeat with each until finished. Serve with your favorite salsa, sour cream or just as they are. Enjoy!!!
Standard cheese-filled tortillas are typically griddled flat until the dairy melts, whereas this version borrows structural principles from folded regional Mexican specialties by layering distinct wet and dry components between two separate flour wrappers. Moisture management determines structural integrity here, because raw or improperly drained capsicum elements can release excess water into the fat emitted by the sausage, turning the interior soggy rather than cohesive. Roasting peppers directly over an open flame until the skins carbonize triggers thermal breakdown of surface tissues, allowing the exterior to peel away effortlessly while retaining the underlying flesh.
Scaling this recipe up or down requires careful attention to the fat-to-solids ratio, particularly when multiplying the 16 ounces of chorizo and two medium yellow onions across multiple skillets. Doubling the meat means heat distribution becomes uneven in standard pans, necessitating a wide cast-iron skillet maintained at medium heat to ensure the 3-minute onion translucent stage occurs uniformly without burning the cumin. When reducing portions, maintain the exact 3-to-1 ratio of white cheddar to fresh gouda so the melting point stays balanced between the sharp cheddar sharpness and the mild moisture of the gouda.
Grated cheese must rest in a sealed refrigerator container prior to assembly to prevent the dairy starches from clumping or sweating under ambient kitchen temperatures. Keeping the cheese cold also prevents premature melting during the assembly phase, ensuring it hits the hot skillet as distinct shreds that bind the sausage and thin jalapeno strips together evenly. Gouda contains higher moisture content than aged cheddar, meaning temperature control during the 3 to 4 minutes of browning is critical to achieve a crisp exterior without scorching the dairy leaking at the edges.
Flipping a dual-layer stuffed tortilla demands mechanical precision to prevent the interior filling from sliding out during inversion. Placing a wide plate directly over the skillet surface, inverting the entire assembly rapidly, and sliding the uncooked top side back into the pan ensures the structural bond remains intact. Leftovers store safely in an airtight container for up to three days and regain their initial texture when reheated in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes per side.
