The Roanoker July/August 2023 - 13

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* 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled
and seeded
* 2 tablespoons butter
* ½ small onion
* 2 " on the vine " tomatoes, cored and
charred
* 2 tablespoons cream cheese
* ¼ cup half and half
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 4 large burrito-sized flour tortillas
* 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
cheese
* 8 tablespoons vegetable oil
Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound
them with a meat mallet until they are very thin fillets.
Place chicken fillets in a shallow dish. Brush chicken
breasts on both sides with vegetable oil, and drizzle any
remaining vegetable oil over chicken breasts. Sprinkle
both sides of chicken with Tajin Clásico seasoning.
Cover and place in refrigerator while making the rest
of the dish.
To make the queso blanco:
To roast poblano peppers, remove the core from the
peppers and place peppers on a baking sheet. Broil
peppers until charred, turning under broiler to char all
sides. Remove peppers from oven and place in a brown
paper bag. Close bag and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Remove peppers from bag and peel peppers by scraping
off peel with a knife. Cut peppers in half, remove seeds
and rinse gently to remove all bits of seed and skin.
To char tomatoes: Cut tomatoes in half and place
cut side down on baking dish. Broil until tomatoes are
charred. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut core
and seeds out of tomato then scrape off loose peel from
tomato with knife.
Melt butter in a saute pan. Add onion and cook over
medium heat until onions are translucent and beginning
to turn brown. Remove from heat.
Place charred poblano peppers, charred tomatoes,
onion, cream cheese, half and half and salt in a blender
container. Blend until smooth (some tiny pieces of the
vegetables may remain).
Place vegetable oil in a grill pan and spread with a
pastry brush to coat the pan. Heat the pan over mediumhigh
heat and place marinated chicken breasts in the
pan. Cook on one side and then flip to cook the other
side. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Cut chicken
into thin strips.
To assemble quesadillas: Place one tortilla on a
baking sheet. Spread 4 tablespoons (or more if needed
to cover tortilla) queso blanco on the tortilla. Place
chicken strips on top of the queso blanco on the tortilla
and sprinkle with ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese. Fold
the tortilla in half.
Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Heat vegetable oil until just sizzling. Place folded tortilla
in pan and allow to heat until lightly browned and
crispy on one side. Flip tortilla and brown the other side.
Place quesadilla on serving plate. Cut each quesadilla
into four triangles with a sharp knife or pizza
cutter. Serve warm topped with calabacitas.
Melt butter in sauté pan. Add red bell pepper and onion
and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent
and beginning to turn brown. Add corn, zucchini, cilantro,
lime juice and salt. Stir and cook until zucchini is just
beginning to cook, but is still crunchy, about 1 minute.
FRESH MANGO SALSA
Serve with roasted or grilled pork, grilled shrimp or hint
of lime tortilla chips.
4 servings
* 2 ripe large mangos, peeled and pitted,
cut into ½-inch pieces
* 1 small red onion, peeled and finely
chopped
* 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed,
finely chopped
* ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh
lime juice
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 tablespoon honey
Place mango, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice
in a mixing bowl. Stir. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with
honey. Toss to combine all ingredients. Cover and chill
until service.
WATERMELON LIME
AGUA FRESCA
Makes 2½ quarts
* 4 cups seedless watermelon (or
watermelon with seeds removed)
* ½ cup water
* 4 tablespoons agave nectar
* ¼ cup fresh lime juice
* ¼ teaspoon sea salt
* Ice
Puree watermelon and water in a blender until smooth.
Add agave nectar and blend to combine.
Molcajete Roasted
Tomato Salsa
To make the calabacitas:
* 1 tablespoon butter
* ½ red bell pepper, chopped into
small pieces
* ¼ cup onion finely chopped
* Kernels from one fresh ear of cooked
corn on the cob
* 1 small zucchini, peeled and
chopped into small pieces
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* ½ teaspoon Peg's Pink Salt
Strain watermelon puree through a strainer or mesh
sieve, discard any solids.
Add lime juice and sea salt to watermelon puree.
Stir to combine. Transfer to a large pitcher. Cover and
refrigerate until service.
To serve: Pour agua fresca into a tall glass. Add ice
and lightly stir.
EL DIABLO COCKTAIL
This sweet, tart and spicy cocktail was inspired by my
friend Judy Gearing's recipe. She always makes fabulous
creative cocktails!
Makes one cocktail
* 1½ ounces tequila reposado
* ½ ounce crème de cassis
* ¾ ounce lime juice
* 3 ounces ginger beer
* 2 blackberries and lime wheel for
garnish
Place the tequila, crème de cassis and lime juice in a
highball glass.
Top with ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish: place
one blackberry on a cocktail pick, followed by a lime
wheel and another blackberry. Place cocktail pick over
the top of the highball glass. I
BECKY ELLIS is a freelance writer specializing in southern food, champagne and cocktails. She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative food and cocktail
recipes along with champagne tasting notes on her blog biscuitsandbubbly.com and Instagram at @biscuits.n.bubbly.
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JULY/AUGUST 2023 13

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The Roanoker July/August 2023

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