SMOKED CHEDDAR, APPLE + CIDER ONION QUESADILLAS
⭐️🍎 ghj holiday appetizer class 🍎⭐️

Prep List
Before you sign into class, please do the following:

1. Wash the apple, lime, and cilantro. (For the cilantro, I recommend removing the tie or rubber band that holds the bunch together, and swishing the cilantro around in a bowl of cold water, separating the stems so any dirt falls to the bottom of the bowl. Then lift out the cilantro, wash out the bowl of any dirt, and refill it with clean water. Repeat the process until there is no dirt at the bottom.)

2. Clear off the counter of anything you won’t be using during class. Place all ingredients and equipment/tools at your workspace.

3. If you’d like to make this more of a meal, see notes below about adding greens and lentils and feel free to prepare those ingredients ahead of time if you wish.

Ingredient List
Please note this quantity will make 6 quesadillas. We will only be making 1 during class time and you can continue making more after class.

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil (or cooking spray)
6 6-inch flour tortillas  
2 cups shredded or sliced (buy it shredded or sliced or buy a block and do it yourself) smoked cheddar cheese or other smoked or favorite cheese (about ½ pound)
2 cups apple cider or hard cider (like Finnriver)
2 large red or yellow onions
1 large juicy crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp)
1 small bunch cilantro
Your favorite hot sauce or chili oil (or ground cayenne pepper or chili powder or smoked paprikia or any hot or smoky ground spice - you choose!)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
1 lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Equipment/Tools List
1 large skillet (preferably cast iron; not non-stick - this is to encourage the caramelization of the onions)
1 medium skillet
Chef’s knife
Cutting board (as large as you have)
2 small bowls
1 fork
1 dinner plate
Wooden spoon
Pancake turner or fish spatula (to flip the quesadilla)
2 cup measuring glass

SMOKED CHEDDAR, APPLE + CIDER ONION QUESADILLAS

Everyone loves the combination of bright crisp apple with smoky cheese, making this quesadilla a welcome appetizer to the holiday spread. The apple cider brings in the season’s flavor and make the onions sweet and gooey. Serve the quesadillas with the usual suspects like avocado/guacamole, hot sauce/chili oil or salsa, sour cream/yogurt etc. I like it with lime zest and juice and Hot Mama Smoky Coffee Chili Oil mixed into plain Greek yogurt for a tangy spicy sauce.

Makes 6 quesadillas (cut into 4 wedges for 24 appetizers)

Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or cooking spray
6 6-inch flour tortillas  
2 cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese or other smoked or favorite cheese (about ½ pound)
½ cup – 1 cup cider caramelized onions (recipe below)
1 large juicy crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp), thinly sliced
Handful chopped cilantro leaves and/or stems
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

  1. Lightly coat a medium skillet with cooking spray or oil and heat over medium-low heat. Lay a tortilla in the skillet and cook 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to puff up and become golden, then flip it over.

  2. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese evenly across half of the tortilla then top with 2 -3 teaspoons of onions, a couple tablespoons of lentils, and a layer of apple slices and greens. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt and pepper then fold the bare half of the tortilla over the fillings and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook one minute more, until golden and heated all the way through. Lower the heat if the tortillas are browning faster than the cheese is melting.

  3. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, slice into quarters, and serve immediately with a lime wedge, avocado, etc as desired.

    For the cider caramelized onions

    This method takes some time, but they’re so sweet and gooey, it’s worth it. They'll last for a couple weeks in the fridge for 3 months in the freezer. Consider making a double batch - they’re good with everything. Don’t fret if you don’t have cider. They’ll still come out super tasty and sweet if you use water.

    Makes 1 cup

    2 cups apple cider or hard cider (like Finnriver)
    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
    2 large red or yellow onions, thinly sliced
    Salt

    1. Fill a liquid measuring glass with the cider and place next to the stove.

    2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently. After about 7 minutes, the onions will turn translucent and golden, and some of their edges will turn brown.

    3. When the onions start to stick to the pan, add ¼ cup cider and stir, freeing the onions from the bottom of the pan and scraping up the fond (the sweet brown bits) and mixing it into the onions.

    4. Continue to cook, stirring once or twice in the first minute, then let cook untouched for another 1 - 2 minutes, until the onions stick to the pan again. (The sizzle will also get louder.) Add another ¼ cup of cider and repeat this process until the onions are caramelized to your liking, then add salt to taste. (I like to use the full 2 cups which takes about 35 minutes.) Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

NOTES

  • To simplify this recipe, fry the onions quickly rather than caramelizing them

  • To make this into a fuller meal and add more nutrients

    • Add dark leafy greens like spinach or kale to the onions when they’re almost done caramelizing

    • Add lentils, beans, or your favorite bite-sized protein like shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken. Instructions below for cider lentils.


Cider Lentils

Cooking lentils in apple cider or hard apple cider brings in more fall flavor, but you can absolutely cook them in water or use canned or refrigerated vacuum sealed lentils (Trader Joe’s).

1 cup dry French lentils (or Beluga or Puy – any lentil that will hold its shape while cooked, NOT red lentils)
3 cups apple cider or hard cider (like Finnriver)

  1. Pour the lentils onto a white surface, like a plate, and sift through them, removing any debris. Rinse the lentils and drain, then transfer to a medium pot and cover with cider. There should be at least 2 inches of cider above the top of the lentils.

  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 18-30 minutes until tender but not falling apart. They should hold their shape but should be easy to bite into. (If your lentils have been recently harvested, they will cook quicker and if they are very old, they will take longer.) Drain well in a sieve or a colander with small holes. If you wish, drain over a container to catch the cider then use to caramelize the onions or transfer it back into the pot and reduce it to make a cider syrup to mix into the lentils or into sour cream for topping the quesadillas.
    The lentils will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.