Making Tortillas and Quesadillas

Making Tortillas and Quesadillas

Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa Served in a Molcajete

When we made tortillas in my Alta Cocina Mexican cooking class yesterday, I immediately turned over my heavy mesquite tortilla press to one of my students. Her deft, experienced hands made quick work of preparing and filling the quesadillas filled with nopal cactus. Inspired by a recipe from Once TV, from Mexico City, we adapted a recipe for Achiote Quesadillas with Tinga of Nopal and Roasted Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa. To make the corn masa, or dough, we added achiote paste thinned in orange juice and chopped, fresh marjoram. The tinga, which is ususally a mild shredded chicken dish, was made this time of strips of nopal, or prickly pear, cactus paddles cooked with onions, tomatoes, and pickled chipotle chiles.

Rosa Maria Rocha, making tortillas with the achiote-flavored dough

Lorena Mendéz making salsa in a traditional Mexican molcajete

Guadalupe Beltrán decorating the final dish with cilantro, crumbled ranch cheese, and tiny fried strips of plantain