This is my version of the famous Baja taco gobernador, which is a shrimp-stuffed quesadilla. The marlin adds a distinctive smoked flavor that makes this a very special kind of quesadilla. If you must substitute, you can use canned tuna—just make sure it is well drained, and cook the filling an additional 4 minutes to allow the moisture from the tuna to evaporate.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1 pound smoked marlin, shredded

　　1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced

　　1 small white onion, minced

　　2 tomatoes, chopped

　　1 cup canned tomato puree

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1 bay leaf

　　Hungarian sweet paprika, to taste

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Ten 6-inch corn tortillas

　　1 1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella cheese

　　Lime wedges, for serving

　　Bottled hot sauce, for serving

　　

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the marlin, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook to combine the flavors, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with paprika, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.

　　

Step 2

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 corn tortillas, side by side, to heat. Place a small mound of cheese on one side of each tortilla. Wait until the cheese melts slightly, about 1 minute, and then add about 2 tablespoons of the marlin mixture to each tortilla (discard the bay leaf). Fold the tortillas over into half-moons and cook to melt the cheese completely, another minute or two. Transfer the quesadillas to a platter and keep warm.

　　

Step 3

Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and marlin mixture. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

　　Fresh Mexico