Cauliflower Quesadillas

Background: My town is awash in quesadillas. This should be really convenient for feeding kids. Unfortunately, my kids will only eat the quesadillas I make at home with just two ingredients: flour tortillas fresh from the grocery store’s tortilla machine (or homemade) and a very specific brand of extra sharp New York white cheddar cheese. One night I decided to add cauliflower to the mix. One tried it. One opted for a raw piece of cauliflower instead. The other just ate a banana and buttered veggie noodles. I count that as a success. It’s embarrassing to consider fixing a dang quesadilla a move unless you’re Napoleon Dynamite. Here’s what I did:

1. Get some decent flour tortillas.
2. Get a head of cauliflower and break it down as in steps 6 through 9 of the Cauliflower move. Use some of the florets for this move and save the rest.
3. Gather the florets of one quarter and break them down further.
4. In a skillet, melt some butter. Toss the florets in salt and butter and cook to desired softness.
5. On a griddle, melt some more butter.
6. Slice cheese in strips and shingle the strips on one side of the tortilla, place on the griddle, and spoon some cauliflower onto the center of the tortilla.
7. When it’s pliable, fold the tortilla to make a half-moon, flip, move to the back of the griddle, and start the next quesadilla.
8. When the cheese oozes out and starts to get golden brown on the edges, remove to a wire rack on a sheet pan to cool.
9. While the cauliflower quesadillas are cooling, make some back up plain cheese quesadillas.
10. Cut and serve.

Why It Works:

1. A Tortillería might be your best bet.
2. On the other hand, you could make this easy meal when you are breaking down a cauliflower.
3. A grater works for making tiny pieces.
4. You might try steaming the cauliflower if your crew balks at browning.
5. You can get a way with two pats of butter–one for browning each side–each evenly distributed across a two-burner griddle.
6. I don’t know if everyone does this, but I slice my cheese for quesadillas instead of grating it. It’s faster and it’s still melted by the time the tortilla is golden brown.
7. I also make my quesadillas in the D-shaped folded way, not the O-shaped layered way.
8. You might line the sheet tray with a piece of foil to catch the drips so you don’t have to clean the sheet tray.
9. Keep the plain cheese ones hidden in the kitchen until the kids (and spouse?) have at least tried the cruciferous kind and ask nicely for a plain one. Thank them for trying a new thing.
10. I cut my quesadillas with a pair of kitchen sheers (another argument for D-shaped Dillas), the same way I cut damn near everything in my kitchen on a school night. They go right in the silverware hole of the dishwasher, unlike a chef’s knife and cutting board.

Mods:

1. One thing at a time, cowboy. Just keep everything the same shade of golden brown.
2. Do make yourself a dipping sauce, though. Something with Roasted Peppers, perhaps.
3. Serve with Pico and Guac.