BLTs, one of America’s favorite sandwiches, have always been a passion for me and my family, and over the years I have experimented with various versions of this classic combination.
Instead of using toasted white, I have mounded this tasty trio on crusty baguette slices, and I have replaced traditional mayonnaise with a fresh basil-scented spread. On one occasion, I even departed from the sandwich concept and used bacon, arugula and tomatoes as the star ingredients for a pasta salad. Not so long ago, I had another brainstorm — the BLT quesadilla.
For the quesadilla version, I spread large flour tortillas with creamy goat cheese mixed with some ground cumin, then the classic trinity followed — sliced tomatoes drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar, bits of bacon and finally, some baby spinach leaves. After the tortillas were folded in half, they were quickly grilled on a stovetop grill pan. (A skillet will work if you don’t own a grill pan.)
Cut into triangles and served while still hot, the quesadillas were melt-in-your-mouth good. The creamy goat cheese made a great partner to the juicy tomatoes and the crispy bacon, while the spinach added both color and texture.
I served these quesadillas accompanied by a green salad to a couple of friends a few days ago and was amazed at how quickly they disappeared. Saying they were addictive would not be an exaggeration. Although these delectable triangles make an easy and quick entree for a light summer lunch or supper, you could also offer them as appetizers with a pitcher of sangria. However you serve them, there’s no better time than right now — the height of the tomato season — to indulge in a new BLT invention, especially when entertaining.
BLT quesadillas
4 large (about 9-inch) flour tortillas
8 ounces creamy goat cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound tomatoes, stemmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
8 bacon slices, cooked until crisp, well drained, then cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups (about 2 ounces) baby spinach
Olive oil for grilling
Place a tortilla on a clean workspace. Mix the goat cheese and the cumin in a mixing bowl until well blended. Using a table knife or a small offset spatula, spread a fourth of the cheese mixture on the tortilla, going almost to the edges.
Then arrange a fourth of the tomatoes on one half of the tortilla. Drizzle tomatoes with ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Lay a fourth of the bacon pieces over the tomatoes, then top with a fourth of the spinach. Fold the tortilla in half and press down gently to secure the filling. Repeat to make three more quesadillas.
Place a stovetop grill pan over medium high heat and brush with olive oil to coat. (If you do not have a grill pan, use a large skillet and coat the bottom lightly with oil.) When grill pan or skillet is quite hot, add as many folded quesadillas as will fit comfortably in a single layer.
Using a spatula, press down on the quesadillas and cook until grill marks appear (if using a grill pan) or lightly browned (if using a skillet), about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the quesadillas over and cook until grill marks appear or lightly browned the other side, about 2 minutes more.
Remove and cover loosely with foil while you finish cooking the rest. Repeat until all of the quesadillas are cooked.
Cut each tortilla into 3 wedges and arrange on a dinner or salad plate. Makes 4 servings.
Betty Rosbottom is a cooking school director and author of “The Big Book of Backyard Cooking” (Chronicle Books).
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