A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Squash blossom quesadillas with summer squash salsa Put summer squash to work with these quesadillas. Use squash blossoms and onions to stuff your tortillas, and top them with a mild salsa whipped up in the blender. By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / July 10, 2013

Squash blossom quesadillas with summer squash salsa

Put summer squash to work with these quesadillas. Use squash blossoms and onions to stuff your tortillas, and top them with a mild salsa whipped up in the blender.

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / July 10, 2013

Where there's squash blossoms, there's squash. Use diced summer squash with tomato, jalapeno, and spices to make a savory salsa.

The Runaway Spoon

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I love squash blossoms, as I have said before. So imagine my delight on my recent trip to Tepotzlan in the central mountains of Mexico, to find squash blossoms used in a huge variety of dishes. I had freshly made quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese for breakfast each morning, and stalls in the market offered sautéed squash blossoms as an add-in for tacos. The restaurant at the hotel offered them in more nuanced dishes. But perhaps the best use of squash blossoms I have ever experienced was incorporated into hand-made tamales at Cocinar Mexicano cooking school. I could never duplicate that experience, so I guess I’ll have to go back someday.

Perre Coleman Magness

The Runaway Spoon

Perre Magness has studied food and cooking around the world, mostly by eating, but also through serious study. Coursework at Le Cordon Bleu London and intensive courses in Morocco, Thailand and France has broadened her own culinary skill and palate. The kitchen of choice is at home, cooking like most people, experimenting with unique but practical ideas.

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But the quesadillas I could copy. I wanted to zazz them up a little, so I came up with a simple squash salsa. After all, where there are blossoms there are squash. For me, this is all about the blossoms, so I don’t want to mask their flavor too much. Many of the taco vendors in Tepotzlan, and many of the recipes I’ve read at home include poblano peppers, but I’ve left that out so the blossoms sing. I only use a small amount of jalapeno in the salsa for the same reason; the squash should really shine through. That’s also why I use mild flour or white corn tortillas.

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Oaxaca cheese is a mild, stringy melting cheese that I find easily at an ethnic market and frequently at my regular grocery. If you can’t find it, shredded mozzarella is a decent substitute. This recipe makes 5 quesadillas and enough salsa to accompany them. It’s an odd number, I know, but it is hard around these parts to get squash blossoms in bulk, and 2 dozen is about all I can wrangle from my grower at a time (he doesn’t want me to corner the market). If you can get your hands on more, please feel free to double the recipe.

Cut in half, these quesadillas make 10 lovely little nibbles. The squash salsa is also good with corn chips, or over a grilled fish.

Squash blossom quesadillas with summer squash salsa
Makes 5 quesadillas

For the salsa

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup finely diced summer squash, divided (about 1 large squash)

1 plum tomato

1-inch piece of jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

1 clove garlic

2 squash blossoms

Juice of half a lime

Salt

For the quesadillas

20 squash blossoms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

4 ounces Oaxaca cheese, shredded into strings, or mozzarella

5 small flour or white corn tortillas

For the salsa

1. Place the onion, 1/2 cup of the squash, the tomato, pepper, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and squash blossoms in a blender and blend until you have a chunky purée.

2. Pour the oil into a large skillet and add the remaining diced squash. Sauté over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, until the squash is slightly softened. Add the purée from the blender and cook for a further 3-5 minutes, until the salsa is thickened and any excess liquid has evaporated. Salt to taste. Set aside to cool.

For the quesadillas

1. Pull any hard stems and spike leaves off the blossoms and pull the stamen out of the center. Shred the blossoms into narrow strands, using your fingers or scissors. Pour the olive oil into a skillet and ad the onions. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, but do not brown, about 8 minutes. Reserve a handful of the shredded squash blossoms, and then add the rest to the onions in the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the blossoms are soft and wilted. Take the filling off the heat.

2. Lay the tortillas on the counter (if you use white corn tortillas, wrap them in a wet paper towel and zap them in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften). Layer about an ounce of cheese and a good dollop of the squash blossom filling over on each. Sprinkle a few of the remaining strands of squash blossom over each, then fold in half.

3. Heat a skillet to high heat and cook the quesadillas two at a time until the cheese is melted and each side is golden brown.

4. Serve immediately with the squash salsa.

RECOMMENDED: Take our fruit and veggie quiz!

Related post on The Runaway Spoon: Squash Blossom Pesto

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