WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: We wanted a vegetable quesadilla filling with plenty of flavor, surrounded by a tortilla crunchy enough to rival any restaurant version. But putting raw vegetables and cheese in a tortilla resulted in
a soggy, undercooked mess. Getting the filling to be as dry as possible was key. We first cooked onions and mushrooms, covered, until the mushrooms released their moisture. Once the moisture was released, we removed the cover and continued to cook until the mushrooms were deep golden brown. To add more flavor to the onions and mushrooms, we bloomed garlic, coriander, and pepper flakes with the vegetables. Swiss chard provided a delicate, earthy flavor counterpoint to the rich mushrooms and onions. A bit of cider vinegar added brightness. Cilantro provided freshness, and we liked Monterey Jack cheese for its mild tanginess and meltability. Serve with Mexican crema.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
• Salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their moisture, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, coriander, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chard, cover, and cook until wilted but still bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until liquid evaporates, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar. Let mixture cool slightly, then stir in Monterey Jack and cilantro.
4. Lay tortillas on counter. Spread vegetable filling over half of each tortilla, leaving ½-inch border around edge. Fold other half of tortilla over top and press firmly to compact. Arrange quesadillas in single layer on prepared sheet with rounded edges facing center of sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
5. Bake until quesadillas begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Flip quesadillas over and press gently with spatula to compact. Continue to bake until crisp and golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Let quesadillas cool on wire rack for 5 minutes, then slice each into 4 wedges and serve.