Spicy Hummus And Zucchini Quesadillas originally published on Food and Fond Memories on August 4, 2011 by sandyaxelrod 1 Comment (Edit)
Spicy Hummus And Zucchini Quesadillas
Spicy Hummus and Zucchini Quesadillas with White Bean Relish
The third and last appetizer of the trio that I served at our party for my fellow Board of Directors of the Wellington Art Society was Spicy Hummus and Zucchini Quesadillas with White Bean Poblano Relish. This was another one of Bobby Flay’s delectable recipes from his Mesa Grill Cookbook. Pretty much my entire menu came from that book because I have cooked my way through it and without exception everything has been amazing. This was actually the first time making that particular quesadilla but I had total faith in Chef Flay. We all know he can do no wrong in my eyes! I think the only change I made to his recipe was to only do two layers when he suggest three. As finger food the two layers are more user friendly but if I was plating the servings of quesadilla I would most definitely use three tortillas with two layers of filling. Oh yes, there was one other thing; one of our guests is gluten intolerant so I made some of the quesadillas with corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. This is such a great menu item for a party because everything can be ready an hour or so ahead of time including assembling the quesadillas and then when the guests arrive just pop them in a pre-heated oven. By the way I think the White Bean Relish would be great with chicken and the Spicy Hummus could certainly stand on its own served with pita or as a spread for a sandwich.
Spicy Hummus and Zucchini Quesadillas
with White Bean Poblano Relish
Oh so slightly adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook
Serves 4 or 8 as part of an hors d’oeuvre menu
Spicy Hummus
1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas (1 15.5 ounce can), rinsed and drained
6 cloves roasted garlic
1/2 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Quesadillas
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 medium zucchini, cut into matchsticks
8 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoons ancho chile powder
White Bean Relish (recipe follows)
1. To make the hummus, combine the chickpeas, garlic, chile de arbol powder, lemon juice, and tahini in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while machine is running and process until combined, season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and stir in the cilantro. This can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.
3. Preheat the oven to 425F.
4. To make the quesadillas, place 8 of the tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 tablespoons of the hummus on each tortilla. Divide, in order, the cheddar cheese, zucchini, and goat cheese among the tortillas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stack the tortillas to make four 2-layer tortillas and top each with one of the remaining tortillas. Brush the tops with the oil and sprinkle with the ancho powder.
5. Transfer the tortillas to a baking sheet (you may need 2). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tortillas are lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted.
6. Cut into quarters and top each quarter with a large spoonful of the white bean relish.
White Bean Relish
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the beans, poblano, lemon juice, oil, and thyme in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
