Tilapia Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa and Chili Red Beans

Fish quesadillas are a nice healthy light meal!

    
     Las Vegas Mexican cuisine is not like the stereotypical Mexican cooking that can be found elsewhere in America.  Spectacular presentations sets the high end Las Vegas Mexican food apart from the rest.  Standard old fashioned Las Vegas Mexican cuisine is authentic and it is not watered down for American tastes.
     Las Vegas visitors and residents are some of the toughest restaurant customers in the world and they demand the authentic cuisines of the world to be served just like they are made in the countries of their origin.  When a high roller gambler from Mexico wants a home cooked Mexican style meal at 3:00AM in the morning while playing poker, it is available to be served.  Las Vegas takes pride in keeping gambling customers pleased.
     If watered down Americanized cuisine is what you really prefer, for some unknown reason, there are many middle of the road chain restaurants that are located near Las Vegas shopping malls and the major highways, just like in any other town.  I do not support the existence of corporate owned chain restaurants for many reasons and I never recommend those kind of places in this blog.  Artificially funded chain restaurants that serve second rate food for cheap and hurt small restaurant business owners are just not my kind of place to frequent.
     There are hundreds of small family owned Mexican restaurants and taco stands in the Las Vegas valley that serve very nice food.  Dining in those small restaurants reawakened my interest in Mexican cuisine.  I have posted many nice Mexican food recipes in this blog and many of my recipes feature modern presentations.  As a kid, I grew up in a great California Mexican restaurant kitchen that my step grandfather managed, so you might say that Mexican cooking is in my blood!          
   
     Chili Red Beans Recipe:
     This recipes makes 2 to 3 portions!
     Soak 1 cup of red beans in water overnight in a refrigerator.
     Drain the water off of the beans and rinse the beans.
     Cook the red beans in a sauce pot with water over medium low heat, till the beans become soft and tender.
     Drain the starchy bean water off of the beans.
     Place the beans in a sauce pot with enough water to barely cover the beans.
     Place the sauce pot over medium low heat.
     Add 2 pinches of cumin.
     Add 3 pinches of guajillo chile powder.
     Add 3 pinches of ground ancho chile powder.
     Add 1 pinch of crushed red pepper.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Simmer the beans, till the flavors meld.
     Keep the beans warm over very low heat.
   
     Tomato Salsa Recipe:
     This salsa recipe makes 2 to 3 garnishing portions or 1 small bowl of salsa!
     Place 1/2 cup of small chopped tomato into a mixing bow.
     Add 3 tablespoons of small chopped onion.
     Add 2 tablespoons of small chopped mixed red and green bell pepper.
     Add 1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper.
     Add 1 sliced green onion.
     Add about 10 to 14 leaves of chopped cilantro.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 generous squeeze of lime juice.
     Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice vinegar.
     Stir the ingredients together.
     Let the salsa sit for 10 minutes, so the flavors meld.
  
     Tilapia Quesadillas Recipe:
     If you are new to making quesadillas, just think of a quesadilla as being a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich!
     Lightly season two small tilapia filets with sea salt and black pepper.  (4 to 6 ounces of tilapia filets are plenty for 2 small quesadillas or 1 medium size quesadilla.)
     Sprinkle 1 or 2 pinches cumin over the tilapia.
     Sprinkle 1 or 2 pinches of coriander over the tilapia.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 small splash of blended olive oil.
     Add the seasoned tilapia filets.
     Saute the filets on both sides, till they become fully cooked.
     Set the filets on a cutting board and slice them into bite size pieces.
     Place some grated cheddar cheese on one half of 2 small 6" flour tortillas or 1 medium size 10" flour tortilla.
     Place the fish pieces on top of the cheese.
     Place a few thin slices of roasted poblano chile on top of the fish.
     Sprinkle more cheddar cheese on top of the fish and chile peppers.
     Fold the plain half of the tortilla over the top of the quesadilla ingredients.
     Heat a saute pan or griddle over medium heat.
     Add 1 splash of olive oil.
     Place the quesadillas in the pan.
     Cook each side of the quesadillas, till they become golden brown in color.
   
     Tilapia Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa and Chili Red Beans:
     Set the quesadillas on a cutting board.
     Slice the two small quesadillas in half.  (Cut a medium size quesadilla into 3 or 4 pie shaped pieces.)
     Overlap the tilapia quesadillas halves on a plate.
     Place a mound of the chile red beans on the plate.
     Spoon the tomato salsa over the center of the tilapia quesadillas.
     Garnish with a slice of lime.
   
     Tilapia quesadillas are a nice healthy light meal.  Fresh tomato salsa adds a refreshing flavor.  The red chili beans are so savory.  Every plate of Mexican food does not have to garnished with sour cream, guacamole and salsa, but it is an option.  Yummy!  ...  Shawna