Last Night's Dinner: Spinach and Mozzarella Quesadillas

I spent yesterday afternoon grilling for an upcoming Newsday story, and I had some leftover cheese and tortillas from the photo shoot. So today, when I picked up a beautiful bunch of local spinach at the newly opened Green Thumb, I sauteed it with an onion and used it as a filling for these grilled quesadillas. Not authentic Mexican, but authentic Sag Harbor. Here is the recipe:

Spinach and Mozzarella Quesadillas
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an appetizer

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 ounces spinach, washed and chopped
Salt
Ground black pepper
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
Four 8-inch flour tortillas

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a colander and press on the spinach to drain off any excess liquid.
2. Preheat a gas grill to high. Sprinkle some cheese on one half of each tortilla. Spread spinach mixture on top of cheese. Fold tortillas over and brush outsides with the remaining tablespoon olive oil.
3. Clean grill. Turn heat down to medium. Grill quesadillas covered, turning once, until golden with darker grill marks on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes total. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Tonight's (Cheap) Dinner

The Green Thumb (829 Montauk Highway, Watermill) has been open for a week now. I stopped there this morning to pick up some salad greens (10 cups for $4.50) from the green house and their sign made me wonder how much it would cost me to make a light dinner incorporating those greens. On to the IGA, where I bought two cans of tuna ($2.19 each for solid white; you could save some pennies by choosing light instead), a can of white beans ($1.19), a box of cherry tomatoes ($3.49--but I was only going to use half of the box), and a Blue Duck Bakery baguette ($3.99 and worth every penny). Not counting the oil, vinegar, and herbs (which I already had), the ingredients cost less than $15.00. Not too bad for a complete meal based on locally grown organic greens with locally baked artisan bread on the side.

Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad
Makes 4 light main course portions

Warm up some crusty bread in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, slice, and serve alongside the salad, with extra olive oil for dipping.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano (or substitute basil or parsley if you like)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
One can white beans, drained and rinsed
Two 5-ounce cans tuna, drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 cups mixed salad greens, washed and dried

1. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, shallot, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the beans, tuna, and tomatoes and toss to coat.
2. Divide the greens among 4 dinner plates. Top each one with a portion of the tuna and bean salad. Serve immediately.