Happy Friday!
Well, happy for you, probably. Right now I’m most likely thousands of feet above the Pacific sobbing into my third glass of wine because San Francisco and the end of my vacation are getting closer by the minute. Ugh.
But in happier things, let’s talk about quesadillas! I know you may be thinking that kimchi and cheese sound like a strange combo to sandwich in a tortilla, or to put together at all, but trust me on this, ok? I’m not going to steer you wrong.
Do you ever end up with a jar of kimchi in you fridge that you know you should finish but that also just seems to kind of languish there, uneaten? I’ve been there so many times, even though I love kimchi! Sometimes you just don’t have a plan for finishing things.
But I have a plan for your kimchi! In the spirit of cleaning out the fridge, we take our kimchi, some scallions (I always have a bunch in my fridge because most recipes only call for one or two), and some cheese and tortillas (I give you permission to buy these). Put them together in a way that is so simple you barely need a recipe.
Grill or sauté your scallions until they are nice and charred. Chop them up with some kimchi. Grate some cheese, something melty is good, and if it’s smoked that will be a nice compliment to the scallions. Pile it all between tortillas and cook until crispy and melted. Slice, eat, repeat.
The charred scallions and spicy kimchi bring a punch of flavor to these quesadillas, and adding cheese to anything never really hurt. The result is melty, creamy, crunchy, and delicious, and bonus, you have two fewer ingredients rotting in the fridge. Yay!
Charred Scallion & Kimchi Quesadillas
This is really less a recipe than a general guide. Use your best judgement for the amounts of kimchi and cheese based on your preferences. You do you.
- kimchi (storebought or homemade)
- grated, good melting cheese of your choice (I used a mix of jack and smoked gouda)
- 1 bunch scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces
- vegetable oil
- flour tortillas
- Chop kimchi and grate desired amount of cheese and set aside.
- Heat a cast iron or other heavy skillet to high heat and add a little bit of vegetable oil. Add the scallions and cook, stirring infrequently, until charred and soft. Transfer to a bowl until needed.
- Lay a tortilla on a the hot cooking surface, and sprinkle with fillings as desired, making sure to get a good amount of everything. Top with another tortilla, and cook, flipping halfway through, until tortilla is browned and cheese is melted (alternatively, you can fill half of one tortilla and flip it over itself, to form a smaller quesadilla).
- Transfer quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into wedges, then serve hot.