Greek Quesadilla – Galley Recipe

This Greek quesadilla recipe comes from yacht chef and experienced sailor Jane of Coastal Chef, a delicious Mediterranean twist on the classic Mexican dish.

Jane is a qualified yacht chef and private chef who has cooked aboard yachts and in private villas. With more than 27,000 ocean miles under her belt, including ocean passages, racing and crewing, she knows the importance of creating tasty, satisfying meals in challenging conditions. During one charter yacht role in the Western Isles of Scotland, she regularly cooked in Force 8 and 9 conditions, and even experienced a Force 11.

You can find out more about Jane’s yacht chef services at Coastal Chef.

Quesadillas are a popular Mexican dish made using flour tortillas and a variety of fillings. This Greek-inspired version combines spinach, feta cheese, garlic and spring onions to create a simple, flavour-packed meal that’s ideal for cooking in a boat galley.

Making quesadillas is simple and they are ideal for a small boat as they require one pan – a large frying pan. Quesadillas originated in Mexico and are a type of taco often filled with cheese and beans, sometimes chicken and vegetables. In fact, you can fill them with whatever you like, they are very versatile. They are made with flour tortillas browned in a frying pan and filled with any combination you fancy.

Quesadilla – kay-sa-deeah.

Ingredients (makes about 3)

- Flour tortillas
- 400g spinach – remove tough stalks etc
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Large bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 150g feta cheese, crumbled
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper

Equipment

One large frying pan or skillet

Preparation and cooking time for Greek quesadilla

30 minutes

Method for cooking Greek quesadilla

You will need to wilt the spinach first and let it cool a little. Put a very small spoonful of water into the pan and heat up, adding the spinach in two lots. Use a spatula to turn it around in the pan until it is wilted, then turn on to a plate and repeat with the second batch. Once wilted, drain and press as much moisture out of the spinach as possible (use a saucer to press down on it, or a handful of kitchen roll). Leave to cool.
In the same pan, heat some oil and soften the onion, spring onion and garlic. Season a little (not too much salt as feta is salty). Mix the onion with the wilted spinach and add the crumbled feta.
Using a piece of kitchen roll wipe a small amount of olive oil around the frying pan and heat up (not too hot as you will burn the tortillas). Place a tortilla in the pan and then put in a couple of spoonfuls of the spinach mixture and spread quickly over the base. Put a second tortilla on top and press down carefully. Use a spatula or palette knife to check that the tortilla is not burning underneath.
When there are a few nice golden patches forming underneath, very carefully use a fish slice to turn over the quesadilla. When the underside is nicely crisp, slide it out on to a plate and keep warm while you make another. Each quesadilla can be cut into 4 like a cake and look very decorative in a pile on a plate.

These quesadillas can be served with Tzatziki, the traditional Greek yoghurt-based sauce that usually forms part of a Greek mezze. You can make your own Tzatziki.

Tzatziki ingredients

2-3 large spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
2-3 garlic cloves, grated
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice
Chopped dill and mint

Mix the cucumber, garlic and chopped herbs with the yoghurt, season to taste and add some lemon juice to taste.

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