Acorn Squash Quesadillas

-LW

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/10/acorn-squash-quesadillas-tomatillo-salsa/

This dish looks simple, but the flavor combo is incredibly tasty. I'm not usually a huge fan of quesadillas because it's too much melted cheese, but with these you get a little cheese but not too much since the squash provides most of the filler. We made this recipe a year or so ago, much more to the letter--with poblanos and the homemade tomatillo salsa. I remember it being really good then, but I think I like this variation with roasted red and yellow peppers even better. (They came in the CSA, and I needed to use them up.) The original raw tomatillo salsa is a garlic bomb that becomes unbearable after a while, so this time I swapped it out for jarred, roasted tomatillo salsa. While the original tastes has a really pleasant acidity like granny smith apples (before the garlic hits you), the roasted salsa adds a smoky, spicy note to the dish that is particularly welcome if you are using sweet peppers than poblanos. Serve with a strong, acidic white wine.

Ingredients

1 acorn squash

2 poblano chiles or 1 red bell pepper (or any mild pepper)

1 serrano or small green chili (I usually cut off the top, slit the chili lengthwise and throw it in whole, as opposed to seeding and chopping it up)

3 T. onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Tortillas (uncooked if you can find them)

Quesadilla cheese

Tomatillo salsa (I used Frontera brand)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Half squash, scoop out seeds, and slice into half-inch wide crescents. Roast squash and large peppers (not the serrano) for about 20 min. or until peppers are brown and spotty and squash is soft but not mushy yet. Let squash and peppers cool slightly and then peel them. Cut the peppers into thin strips. Chop squash roughly into bite-sized pieces.

Sautee onion, serrano, and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Add roasted peppers and cook for a few minutes. Add squash and cook until it becomes soft and flavors meld. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make quesadillas with squash mixture and quesadilla cheese. Use butter to make a crispy crust. Serve with tomatillo salsa on the side for dipping.