Steak Quesadilla with Sour Cream Cilantro Sauce and Salsa

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Yield:

Ingredients:


1	New York Strip steak - (8 oz)
ANCHO CHILE PASTE
60 g	dried ancho chilies
1/2 cup	garlic cloves
1/2 cup	olive oil
1/2 cup	cilantro leaves
3 lrg	green onions - (3 oz) coarsely chopped
20 ml	honey
	Juice of 1 lime
SALSA
1 med	tomato peeled, seeded,
	and chopped
1/2	jalapeno pepper cored, seeded,
	and chopped
40 ml	chopped onion
40 ml	chopped cilantro leaves
20 ml	olive oil
	Salt to taste
	Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
SOUR CREAM CILANTRO SAUCE
1/4 cup	sour cream
1/2 cup	cilantro leaves
	Juice of 1/2 lime
	Salt to taste
	Freshly-ground white pepper to taste
QUESADILLA
1 lrg	baking potato peeled, and
	cut into very thin rounds
1/4 cup	clarified butter
	Salt to taste
60 g	shredded mozzarella cheese
30 g	fresh goat cheese
1 cup	mixed salad greens
1 sprg	cilantro for garnish

Method:

Prepare the ancho chili paste: Wash the ancho chilies and soften in warm water. Cut in half, stem, and seed. In a blender, combine the chilies with the remaining ingredients and puree.

Spread some of the paste over both sides of the steak and let marinate, refrigerated, at least six hours. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.

Prepare the Sour Cream Cilantro Sauce: In a blender, combine sour cream, the cilantro, and lime juice, and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare the Quesadilla: Place the potato slices in a medium bowl, pour the clarified butter over, and toss to coat the slices. Season lightly with salt. Arrange half the potatoes, flower fashion, in an 8-inch ovenproof skillet. Cook over medium heat until the ends begin to brown and the potatoes stick together. (This will keep the cheese from running through.) Sprinkle with the two cheeses and cover with the remaining potatoes, arranged the same way as the bottom layer. Set in the oven for 10 minutes, carefully flip the potatoes with a wide spatula and brown on a medium-high flame. Return to the oven for 5 minutes longer. Cut into 4 quarters and keep warm.

Prepare the Salsa: In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients.

Grill or pan fry the steak to desired degree of doneness. Cut into 6 or 8 slices.

Spread a layer of greens down the center of each of two plates and top with the salsa. Arrange 3 or 4 slices of steak on the Salsa and spoon some of the Sour Cream Cilantro Sauce over the steak. Place 2 quarters of the quesadilla on either side and garnish the plate with sprigs of cilantro. Serve immediately.

This recipe yields 2 servings.

Comments: I love homemade tortillas, but find the commercial ones sometimes unreliable. So I decided to replace the tortillas with potato slices in this quesadilla and I think the end result is even tastier. Don't be frightened! This looks like a complicated dish but is really quite easy if you follow the recipe.

Wine Recommendation: I don't know if you've tried any of the red wines from Chile or Argentina that are to be found in most wine shops nowadays, but some of the Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons coming from South America are incredible bargains. Look for Bodega Weinert and Catena from Argentina, and Concho y Toro and Casa Laspostolle from Chile.

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