Contraband Quesadillas — Sort Of A Recipe

Beads of sweat formed on Amir’s forehead as he inched his way up the line at U.S. Customs. He had just arrived at M.I.A. from his home in the Netherlands, and if the authorities searched his bag, Amir knew he would be in big trouble. They probably already suspected him of terrorist activities just because of his Muslim background. And he just wasn’t used to this pressure — he always played by the rules, never did this sort of thing. But that was before his conversion to the shady side of lawlessness, brought about by an unexpected request from his friend’s nutty husband: “Hey Amir, I sure hope you’re bringing me a wheel of that terrific Edammer cheese when you come here.”

I am happy to report that he made it through. Yes, I know, smuggling

foods into the country can lead to all sorts of unfortunate outbreaks

and things. It is not something to treat lightly. Unless, that is,

you’re writing about it in a humorous vein after having enjoyed many an

Edammer quesadilla. Then — and you’ll have to take my word on this —

it really doesn’t seem so bad.

Some purists might scoff at using

a fine specimen of cheese as filler for a quesadilla, but in fact I’ve

enjoyed quite a bit of it eaten as is — shavings taken from the top

with a cheese slicer, as custom dictates. It also lends itself to a

kick-ass mac & cheese. But the slightly nutty, mild cheddar-like

flavor seems right at home melted in a butter-bronzed flour tortilla —

with sauteed slices of onion inside. That’s your recipe right there; about

4 to 5 minutes per side on medium-low heat (the filled tortilla has been folded of course, and placed in a hot buttered pan). Some sprigs of

cilantro inside would perk things up, as would jalapeños, or sweet peppers, or a coupla

slices of bacon. Sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa on top and you’ve got

a hefty snack.

I probably don’t need to point out that other

cheeses, besides  Edammer, will do the trick just fine. Which is why

next time I’m gonna ask Amir for some Gouda.