Turkey Quesadillas with Cranberry Pico

By The Internet Cooking Princess, posted 3 months ago

Tortillas are a staple in my house because they are an excellent (and convenient) vehicle for leftovers. I love the salty, buttery flavor and crispy, flaky texture of grilled tortillas - and of course - how well these qualities lend themselves to leftover smoked turkey and sweet cranberry sauce. The added bonus? Turkey quesadillas are so low key that you won't dread heading back into the kitchen after your Thanksgiving culinary marathon. (Plus, you can assemble them AND gobble them up during half-time without missing your favorite football team in action.)

Serves five quesadillas

To assemble the quesadillas:

• 10 Flour tortillas
• 3 Cups of shredded turkey (or roughly chopped)
• 2 Cups of Monterrey Jack cheese (or 10 slices of brie in lieu of Monterrey Jack)
• Cranberry pico (recipe below)

To make the cranberry pico:

• 1 Cup of leftover cranberry sauce
• 1/2 Cup cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Shallot, finely chopped
• 2 Jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped (or ground coriander)
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• Salt to taste

1. First, make the cranberry pico by mixing the leftover cranberry sauce, cranberries, onion, shallot, jalapenos, cilantro, and lemon or lime juice in a medium-sized bowl. To get a finer consistency, like a salsa, pulse the mixture for a few seconds in a food processor. You may also want to add a little salt to taste.
2. To assemble the quesadillas, start by spreading a bit of the cranberry pico on the inside of the bottom tortilla. Then, stack about 1/3 cup of the shredded turkey on top and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the shredded Monterrey Jack. (Alternatively, you can add a few slices of brie.) Close the quesadilla with the remaining tortilla, and repeat so you've got five quesadillas in the grilling queue.
3. Bring a grill pan to medium high heat, adding about a tablespoon of olive oil and about a tablespoon of butter to the hot pan. Add the first quesadilla and grill for a minute or two or until the tortilla is crispy and a little golden brown.
4. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan, flip the quesadilla on the other side, and allow to cook for a minute or two or until the tortilla is crispy and a little golden brown.
5. Grill the remaining quesadillas, cut into quarters, and serve with leftover cranberry pico for dipping.