Meatless “Steakhouse” Quesadillas with Tangy Avocado Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 1 lb. yellow or sweet onions, peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced (preferably at room temperature)
• Kosher salt
• 10 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 3 to 4 C grated pepper jack cheese (about 12 oz.)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, quartered top to bottom, seeded, and thinly sliced
• Tangy avocado sauce (for dipping) – recipe below

Instructions:

1. Caramelize the onions:

   • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet until the butter melts.
   • Add the sliced onions, sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir constantly for 15 minutes.
   • Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir every 5 to 10 minutes until the onions caramelize. This can take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your heat. The onions should have a jam-like consistency and taste sweet. If you're not using them immediately, store in the fridge or freezer.

2. Cook the mushrooms:

   • Wipe out the skillet from the onions and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
   • Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring infrequently, for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

3. Prepare the tortillas:

   • For each quesadilla, heat 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold 1 tortilla.
   • Place a tortilla in the oil and cook on one side for about 45 seconds until it sizzles. Remove and place the oiled side down on 2 layers of paper towels. Repeat with a second tortilla.
   • Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, leaving just a trace of oil.

4. Assemble and cook the quesadillas:

   • Place one tortilla, oiled side down, in the skillet and reduce heat to medium.
   • Layer a small handful of cheese (1/3 to ½ cup), followed by a fourth of the caramelized onions, mushrooms, and red pepper. Sprinkle with black pepper, add more cheese, and top with the second tortilla, oiled side up.
   • Weight down the quesadilla with a small, heavy pan or press down with the back of your spatula. Cook for about 2 minutes, until sizzling gently.
   • Flip the quesadilla using a large spatula and cook for another 2 minutes, until the second side is crispy.
   • Remove the quesadilla and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

5. Serve:

   • Hold the finished quesadillas in a warm oven until ready to serve. Allow them to cool slightly before cutting each into quarters.

Notes:

• You can substitute white cheddar for the pepper jack if you prefer.
• Caramelize the onions in advance to speed up the process when making the quesadillas. Caramelized onions are versatile and can be stored in the freezer for later use.
• The caramelizing method used in the recipe is from Joy of Cooking and starts with high heat to speed up the process.