Knife and Fork Quesadillas (Winter Squash and Black Bean Version)

My Knife and Fork Quesadillas lean heavily on seasonal produce and pantry items which combine to create this delicious plant forward main dish. I present the first in this series! This one is layered with mouthwatering flavors that meld together to create magic. The success lies within the attention paid to every component (each low effort). Black beans get cooked down with aromatics, black garlic, smoked paprika, oregano and a splash of sherry.  While they cook, the squash gets well roasted with salsa macha, a little honey and sage (you may also do this with sweet potatoes, which are also brilliant here). While these first two components cook, onions get caramelized low and slow (at least 45 minutes) to bring out that deep rich jammy sweetness. It all gets folded into a flour quesadilla that’s been crisped in both sides for flavor and texture along with fresh grated, good quality extra sharp cheddar, salsa roja and smoky spicy chipotle crema. I like to serve avocado on top or alongside for a cool and creamy balance, radish for a crispy element with bite and a squirt of lime ties everything together. A little sour cream never hurts. I didn’t have cilantro on hand, so grabbed some parsley. Serve with more salsa macha on the side. Nutritious and eye rollingly delicious. We’re talking lick the plate. 

It’s great to incorporate these ingredients into your batch cooking line-up. I like to cook up ample amount of squash and beans to include in a host of other dishes- soups, salads, grain bowls… And, excess caramelized onion never goes to waste.

Salsa macha is easy to make at home. It’s  a super flavorful chili oil hailing from Veracruz, Mexico, that’s made from an assortment of chopped dried chiles, garlic, nuts and seeds and has its origins in Veracruz, Mexico. It’s has both salty and sweet notes, nuttiness and a rich and complex spiciness  and a delightful crunch. There are many authentic recipes to be found online. It stores well, so make a big batch. 

I find heads of black garlic at specialty stores and some local farm stands. You may also find jars of prepped cloves.

Here a basic how-to. No formal recipe yet, but if you need one, please let me know (instagram dm best). The steps I outline below should serve as a guideline. You may plug in additions and substitutions…

You will need-

•Winter squash

•Salsa macha

•Honey

•Black beans

•Onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, fresh oregano, thyme

•Large onion

•Flour tortillas

•avocado

•chipotle in adobo

•your favorite salsa

•sour cream

•mayonnaise

•lime

•kosher salt, flaky sea salt

•fresh ground pepper

•smoked paprika

•radish, scallion, cilantro… for garnish

Best to prepare each component on this order as cooking times line up nicely.

1- Preheat oven to 375F.

Get black beans cooking. Add to your pot: 1/2 onion, celery, carrot, garlic clove, bay leaf, sprigs oregano and thyme (no need to chop anything. Simple trim to fit your pot. You’ll be discarding most when beans finish cooking). Cover beans with water by a good 2” (ration of dried beans to water is roughly 1:4). Cook until tender. Cooking time will vary depending upon age and variety of beans and altitude. Roughly 45 mins- 2 hours. Refer to package direction for clues. I like to keep a kettle of simmering water handy to add liquid if needed as they cook down. Adding cold water will disrupt the cooking time. When beans are tender, they should be bathed in a nice thick broth (pot liquor). Fish out and discard aromatics and herb stems (my dog loves the cooked carrot). If liquid is still watery, allow some to reduce (lid off) or pour some off. Add a clove or two of black garlic, a splash of sherry (optional) and a nice pinch of smoked paprika. Bring back to a simmer and allow to cook down until some beans burst and are east to fork smash. Make sure black garlic has been fully incorporated (I feel around for remaining cloves and fork smash them and stir them in). Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.

If using canned beans, cook them down with black garlic, smoked paprika and a splash of optional sherry. Until their thick and creamy with some beans still intact. If black garlic cloves are still intact, smash them and stir in to combine.

2- While beans are simmering away, cut up winter squash into slices about 1” thick. Line a sheet pan with parchment add squash and toss with olive oil, flaky sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Whisk 2 Tbs salsa macha with scant 2 tsp honey and brush over squash. Scatter fresh sage about and bake for approx 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through, until squash is tender and edges have caramelized and browned. Remove tray from oven and set aside

3- While squash is cooking, cut a large onion into thin slices. Preheat a heavy bottomed (approx 10”) skillet over medium heat add 2+ Tbs olive oil and swirl around to coat pan. Add onion with a good pinch of kosher salt. When it sweats, lower heat to low, stirring occasionally to avoid any burning. Allow to cook a food 45+ minutes until caramelized and jammy. If they start to brown to quickly, rn I’ve pan from heat to bring down temp, lower heat as low as you can and continue stirring frequently. When finished, set aside.

4. Make the chipotle crema. Whisk together equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise, a squirt of fresh lime juice with chipotle adobo to taste. I like using the adobo from the small tins of chipotle peppers. If you like it really spicy, add a pepper or town and process until creamy

5. Grate your cheese. My favorite here is Beecher’s Flagship Sharp Cheddar or anything similar. Cabot makes a great Extra Sharp Cheddar which is easy to find at most grocery stores.

5. Set up your mis-en-place: cheese, squash, beans, onion, salsa, crema.

7. Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add a scant Tbs of olive oil and coat pan. Add tortilla and when it begins to puff up, flip. Top with grated cheese all around (allowing it to spill over the sides). On half, add squash, beans onion, salsa and crema (scallions of you like or save for topping). When cheese has melted, fold and flip allowing to cook for another minute.

8. Slice or mash avocado and serve with a wedge of lime and some sliced radish.

Enjoy!