Christmas Ham Quesadilla With Sweet Pickled Onions Recipes

CHRISTMAS HAM QUESADILLA WITH SWEET PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• To make the pickled onion, heat the vinegar, spices and sugar in a small pan with 4 tbsp water until the sugar dissolves. Put the onion in a bowl. Strain the liquid onto the onion and leave to pickle for at least 20 mins or up to a day. The longer you leave it, the softer and more pickled the onion will become.
• Scatter the ham evenly over one of the tortillas, then sprinkle the cheese over the top. Spoon some of the onions over the cheese and top with the remaining tortilla. The tortilla can be made up to a day ahead and left in the fridge ready to cook.
• To serve, heat half the butter in a non-stick pan. Once foaming, carefully slide in the quesadilla. Cook on a low heat for about 2-3 mins, pressing with a spatula, until the base is nicely coloured. Turn the quesadilla over to cook the other side, adding the remaining butter to the pan. Lift the quesadilla on to a chopping board, cut into wedges, and serve scattered with the mint and a few pieces of onion, with the remaining onion on the side.

PICKLED SWEET ONIONS

Steps:

• Place onions in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with canning salt and toss. Let stand 1 hour. Rinse and drain onions, squeezing to remove excess liquid., In a Dutch oven, combine vinegar, sugar and thyme; bring to a boil. Add onions and return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat., Carefully ladle hot mixture into four hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

PICKLED ONION AND MONTEREY JACK QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• In a saucepan boil the onions in just enough salted water to cover for 1 minute, drain them, discarding the water, and return them to the pan with the vinegar, the garlic, the peppercorns, the coriander seeds, the cumin seeds, and the salt. Add just enough water to cover the onions and boil the mixture for 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a glass bowl and let it stand for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
• In a dry 8-inch skillet arrange 1 of the tortillas, sprinkle it with 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack, 1/4 cup of the pickled onions, 1 tablespoon of the minced coriander, one fourth of the scallions, and red pepper flakes to taste, and top the mixture with another tortilla. Cook the quesadilla over moderate heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned lightly. Cut the quesadilla into 8 wedges and garnish it with about 2 tablespoons of the pickled onions and a coriander sprig. Make 3 more quesadillas in the same manner with the remaining tortillas and ingredients.

SWEET PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut onions into 1/4-inch-thick slices; transfer to a colander set in a bowl. Toss well with the salt. Refrigerate 1 hour. Rinse well; drain. Pat dry between paper towels.
• Bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Add onions; bring to a boil. Transfer onions to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Let brine cool completely, about 30 minutes; pour over onions. Transfer to airtight containers; refrigerate at least 1 week (pickles will keep 3 weeks more).