Vegetarian Spiced Sweet Potato Quesadilla with Spicy Carrot Salsa

Here’s a great recipe for a vegetarian spiced sweet potato and mixed sauteed veg’ quesadilla with spicy carrot salsa.

Spiced sweet potato and mixed sautéed veg’ quesadilla

• 1 and 1/2 lbs of cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ tsp dried red chili powder
• ½ tsp of ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• Freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• About ½ pound of mozzarella cheese, grated
• 8 flour tortillas
• About 2 Tbls of vegetable oil for frying
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 2 or 3 fresh hot chili peppers – I use Thai bird chilies here
• ½ a medium cooking onion, finely minced
• A little fresh orange juice
• Salt

1. First make the carrot ‘salsa’ that will accompany these. Grate a single medium carrot quite finely into a bowl. Add in the ½ onion that you’ve minced and the 2 or 3 spicy fresh chilies, and then add in just enough unsweetened orange juice to moisten the mixture, a ¼ cup or so – but not so much as to make a soupy mess. Season with salt to taste
2. To make the quesadilla filling - heat a large heavy frying pan over medium, and when hot, add in the chopped onion. Cook, stirring often for about 3 or 4 minutes, and then add in the carrots and continue cooking until the onions are very soft and the carrots have softened somewhat.
3. Add in the garlic, the cumin, the chili powder and the cinnamon and continue to cook, stirring, for about 2 more minutes. Watch the garlic carefully as you do this, and if you see it burning get the sweet potatoes in right quickly, to arrest the burning.
4. After a couple of minutes add in the sweet potatoes and the cream and cook, mashing the sweet potatoes a little, for a couple of minutes, or until the whole mixture is hot and everything is evenly incorporated throughout the potatoes.
5. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste - and taste also for other seasonings, adding more chili, cumin or cinnamon if needed.
6. Divide this filling between your 8 flour tortillas and over the filling divide your grated cheese between the tortillas. Fold the tortillas in half over the filling and then cook on a dry frying pan or griddle (no oil) heated to medium until the quesadillas are golden brown on both sides (Flip them over once) and the cheese inside is melted.
7. Serve with the carrot salsa on the side (it’s nice in a little bowl on the side of the plate)

A delicious and somewhat different vegetarian meal.