What are the best meat- and dairy-free tortilla fillers?
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Wanted: vegan fillings for quesadillas
“Quesadillas are my comfort food,” says Karla Zazueta, author of Norteña: Authentic Family Recipes from Northern Mexico. “They’re quick to make, and you can stuff them with just about anything and they’ll taste really good.” Spinach Mexican-style is just one such example, and ideal for a vegan spring lunch or quick dinner. “We call any vegetable cooked with tomato, onion and green chilli or coriander ‘Mexican-style’, because they’re the colours of the flag,” Zazueta says. And it’s “mega-easy”, too: heat a little vegetable oil, add tomatoes, onion and jalapeños – “if you don’t have any of those, use a bit of green pepper or coriander instead” – and fry for a few minutes. “Add the spinach and, once it’s wilted, season with salt. That’s it.”
Self-confessed quesadilla “super fan” Adriana Cavita, chef-owner of Cavita in cental London, sandwiches mushrooms sauteed with onions, garlic, chilli (fresh or dried, and herbs between her tortillas. “In Mexico, we use epazote [an indigenous herb with oregano and anise notes], but it’s hard to find in the UK, so here I’d use coriander or parsley instead,” she advises. Alternatively, make the most of courgettes: “Cut them into cubes, then saute with onion, garlic, chilli (again, fresh or dried), tomato puree and any fresh herbs you fancy [parsley or coriander, say],” adds Cavita, who might also include spices, such as coriander or cumin seeds. Similarly, if Zazueta is “feeling fancy”, she often looks to courgette flowers: “In Mexico in spring, that’s the most common quesadilla filling, but they do tend to be quite expensive in the UK.” Traditionally, those flowers would be combined with epazote, although in its absence Zazueta would be inclined to try basil or mint, as well as some green jalapeños to add a touch of bitterness: “It’s not quite the same, though.” Corn tortillas, however, are absolutely non-negotiable, because “they just taste nicer”.
Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian.com
