Inspiration is where you find it. Now that Hubby and I have begun the countdown to his retirement, we’re also learning to appreciate the here and now just a little more.
Every weekend event, every festival or street fair might just be a last one here. Sure, there are new adventures awaiting us somewhere in Tennessee. But it also means saying goodbye to the things we’ve loved here. Like the Harvest Fair in the nearby town of Turlock. Around these parts, harvest isn’t just about crops. While chatting with vaiours vendors, we had the pleasure of meeting a local rancher. He is proud of his meats. His is a closed herd. For those unfamiliar with the term, it means no new animals are introduced from an outside source. By closing the herd it maintains both the health and genetic integrity of the herd. This can be applied to dairy, or beef cattle, sheep, goats – the ag list goes on. He lit up talking about his mornings riding on the range. So of course he talked us into buying the Flat Iron Steaks he had remaining.
It wasn’t long before I was kicking around some ideas – Flat Iron Steaks need to be cooked up quick. His were beautifully marbled, which meant beautiful flavor all on their own But that doesn’t mean we can’t add a little flavor while bringing out that natural beefy goodness. Enjoy!
Cheesesteak Quesadillas
1/2 large Yellow Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
4 Serrano Peppers
4 Chipotle Peppers
3 tablespoons Spicy Olive Oil, divided
1 lb Flat Iron Steak
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Taco Seasoning to taste
4 Jumbo Flour Tortillas
16 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
2 tablespoons Butter
Note: Any kind of hot pepper will do, depending upon what you have on hand and how hot you like it.
Cut an onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another purpose, peel and thinly slice remaining half. Core and seed a bell pepper, slice thin. Stem Serrano and Chipotle Peppers, slice thin. Set aside.
Set a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of spicy oil into the skillet and allow it to get hot.
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season well on both sides with salt, pepper, cayenne and a pinch of taco seasoning. Carefully add the steaks to the hot pan—they should sizzle furiously!
Cook steak undisturbed until nicely browned on the underside, about 3 minutes. Flip steaks, sear for another minute or two. Remove from skillet, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully slice thinly across the grain. Keep warm.
Add remaining tablespoon of spicy oil. Add onions and peppers, sauté until onions are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Return steak strips to the skillet, sauté until steak strips are just cooked through, only a few minutes longer. Keep warm.
Assemble a quesadilla on a cutting board: Working with one large tortilla at a time, lay 2 slices of cheese at one end of the tortilla. Top with a quarter of the vegetable-steak mixture, then 2 more slices of cheese. Fold empty side of tortilla over the full side. Set aside. Repeat until all the tortillas have been filled.
Heat a griddle pan or large flat skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and melt. Carefully arrange the quesadilla on the griddle then immediately turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook until the underside is a nice golden brown and the cheese has begun to melt, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown as well, about 3 more minutes. If necessary, hold in a warm oven until ready to serve. Delicious with refried beans.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him.
