Healthy Biltong Recipes by Gary O’Hanlon

#2 Irish Biltong & Grilled Vegetable Quesadilla with Spicy Mayonnaise

Gary O Hanlon - TV chefWhat Gary says about this dish …

Quesadillas are something I took from my Boston days. I love them. They are so easy to make, packed full of flavor and a definite crowd pleaser. Not only do they taste fantastic but they look great too and are a welcome change to the dinner table from meat and two veg. Ideal for the warmer Spring and Summer months but you can adapt the filling to suit the seasons. I’ve paired them here with a spicy mayonnaise but sour cream, tomato salsa and natural yoghurt all work well with them. Happy eating.

Ingredients

4 x 9″ Flour tortillas
400g grated mozzarella
2 x tbspn ground cumin
handful fresh coriander, chopped
½ red pepper

½ an aubergine, cut thinly lengthwise
1 small courgette, sliced thinly lengthwise
½ green pepper
Sea salt and pepper
Rapeseed oil to drizzle
100g Irish Biltong/Chilli Biltong

Ingredients for Mayonnaise

100g heavy mayonnaise
½ tsp red chilli flakes
½ tsp paprika
2 tbspn sweet chilli and garlic sauce
Juice of half a lime

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C Place the peppers, courgette and aubergine on a roasting tray, drizzle with rapeseed oil and season well. Roast for ten to twelve minutes or until tender and slightly charred on the edges. When cooked, remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Mix the Biltong, mozzarella, cumin and coriander together. Lay out the four tortillas. Put a layer of the cheese and Biltong mixture on one half of the tortillas. Now divide the grilled vegetables between all four tortillas and then divide the remaining Biltong and mozzarella mixture between each then fold over the tortilla to cover the filling. Rub oil all over the surface, gently turn the quesadilla and repeat on the opposite side.

Heat a non-stick frying pan, add a little oil and add the quesadillas one at a time. Once golden brown, turn and repeat then add to a large roasting tray. Repeat this process until all the quesadillas are golden then place in the oven for 8-10 minutes

Whilst the quesadillas are cooking add the mayonnaise ingredients to a food processor and blitz.

To serve, simply cut them in half, then quarter and drizzle over the spicy mayonnaise.

Enjoy!

Gary O'Hanlon

Chef, TV & Radio Broadcaster and Columnist

Gary O Hanlon has been Head Chef of Viewmount House, Co. Longford since 2008. Winner of the Georgina Campbell ‘Best Restaurant in Ireland’ 2014, Food & Wine Magazine ‘Best Chef Leinster 2016’ and ‘Country House of the Year 2017’ Gary has been ever present on our TV screens since 2008 with appearances on MasterChef Ireland, Four Live, The Today Show, Late Lunch Live, The Seven O Clock Show and is resident Chef on ‘The Restaurant’. Gary is a columnist with The Irish Times, has a food show on Shannonside/Northern Sound and is a regular contributor on Today FM.