Mexican Street Corn Inspired Quesadillas

Grilling season is in full force almost all around the country. Everyone is excited for the opportunity to spend time outdoors, and grilling is for sure one of my favorite activities. The fact that I can sit outside, feel the warm breeze, and enjoy a refreshing drink while cooking, is just ideal. Living up north makes me look forward to warmer sunny days ahead even more, and that is why I try to take advantage of this season as much as I can before it gets cold again.

As a quesadilla lover, I really like the fact that they can be also made out on the grill. Quesadillas can be hearty for a meal, or they can be cut into smaller portions for a great party appetizer. I made these ones using a flat skillet directly on the grill and they were fantastic. I added a generous layer of oil to make them extra crispy; there is something special about crispy quesadillas and I like to enjoy them with a side of crema for dipping or to drizzle on top. My best tip when making crispy fried quesadillas, is to use queso fresco because it is the kind of cheese that will soften up really well without oozing out and making a mess while frying. For this recipe I used Cacique’s Ranchero^® Queso Fresco which is my favorite cheese to use for fried quesadillas.

A plain queso fresco quesadilla is divine but adding other ingredients can make the quesadilla more flavorful and interesting. This time I went with a Mexican street corn theme, so I added grilled corn, a touch of mayo, crema, lime, and chili powder to resemble the flavors of street elote. For quesadillas using queso fresco, it is best to cut ¼ inch thick slices of the queso or to crumble it into bigger pieces as it will be easier to fill the quesadilla and the queso will hold its shape while softening up beautifully.