The Strategy
A quesadilla is a great midweek meal, especially when you have leftovers like skirt steak. Put the cheese on first, because melted cheese is the glue that holds all the rest of your ingredients. Then cook it in olive oil in a very hot pan.
Technique Summary
Layer a tortilla with cheese, leftover skirt steak, mushrooms, grilled jalapeño peppers, thin onions and more cheese, top it with a second tortilla, and cook it in a hot pan with olive oil, a minute or two on the first side, then flip it and cook the second side. Top it with sour cream, fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro and hot sauce.
Chef's Checkpoints
- Cheese goes on first and last. Melted cheese is the glue that holds everything together.
- Cook it a minute or two on the first side, then flip it and cook the second side.
- It's done when the top is nicely browned, the cheese is melty and you can hear how crunchy it is.