Squash Blossoms Quesadilla with Grilled Flank Steak in Soy Sesame Marinade

Squash blossoms are among my favorite edible flowers, and whenever I find them in my neighborhood market, visions of quesadilla de flor de calabasa swirl in my noggin'! Quesadilla stuffed with squash blossoms, cheese and piled with grilled sweet onions and scallions, cilantro, and fresh, homemade jalapeno and tomato salsa is always a hit.

The sun was bright, and it was a very warm but breezy late afternoon, just perfect for an al fresco meal. After work, I was not keen on slaving in the kitchen and decided to fire up the barbie. The meat market had a heaping batch of flank steak and by the looks of it, very good quality. I bought five pounds, picked up a few vegetables, hoping to make a green salad with a light mustard dressing, and some grilled peppers and tomatoes to go with it.

As soon as I got home, I marinated the steak in a cup of soy sauce, 1/3 cup of sesame oil, 2/3 cups of Korean barbecue marinade (available in most Asian food stores), 1/4 cup of minced garlic and a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. I stuffed the marinated meat in a resealable plastic bag and set it aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature. I then grilled it covered on medium heat until done but not charred. The flank steak came out chewy tender and tasted awesome!

To make the squash blossom quesadilla, just heat a piece of corn tortilla on the grill, add some white cheese (any Mexican cheese suitable for melting is good, or even a Monterey Jack cheese, when Mexican cheese is difficult to find), and fold. Grill until cheese is melted and gooey. Snip off the squash blossoms from their stems and stuff into the folded tortilla with the melted cheese. Cook until the blossoms are slightly wilted, then remove from heat. Serve immediately with a grilled tomato and jalapeno salsa, and pair with the grilled flank steak. These two items were so good that we did not even bother with the green salad and skipped the rice altogether (at the same time, mindful that we were scarfing a bagful of corn tortillas in a serious blink)! I will post the salsa recipe separately.