Teriyaki Salmon and Pineapple Quesadillas

I ran across this recipe the other day and thought "What a wonderful idea!"  Teriyaki salmon and pineapple in a quesadilla!

There are several components to this so don't feel overwhelmed.  I made the salmon, grilled the pineapple, prepped the salmon glaze and Srirachi mayo earlier in the day (along with chopping some green onions and red peppers). While I also made the pineapple salsa earlier in the day, I would suggest doing that at the last minute as the onions lost their bright purple color and turned pink (see prettier photos on Kevin's blog, address below).

For the salmon, I simply put a filet in a ziploc bag and let it marinate in some prepared teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight (I use the Soy Vay brand) and for the glaze, I made a slurry using about 1/2 tsp of cornstarch mixed into 1 tsp of cold water.  I warmed about 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce and then added and mixed the slurry until thickened.   This was used to drizzle inside the quesadilla and on the outside.  I baked the salmon in my NuWave on the 1" rack for 8 minutes (my filet was 3/4" thick).  Kevin's directions are below.

For the Srirachi mayo, I mixed 2-3 Tbsp mayo with about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Srirachi (depending on how much heat you like).  For both the glaze and the mayo, I put them into a baggie and cut a tiny corner off the baggie and used that to pipe into/onto the quesadilla.

You will need a fork with these quesadillas as the pineapple can tend to soften them.  This is not the traditional crisp gooey cheese-stretching dish you're used to!  You can either make one full 8" quesadilla or one and a half, depending on if you want two or three quarters each.

TERIYAKI SALMON and PINEAPPLE QUESADILLAS (2 servings)

2-3 (8") flour tortillas
1/2 to 3/4 cup jack cheese, shredded
1/4 to 1/3 cup teriyaki salmon, cooked
1/4 to 1/2 cup pineapple, sliced and optionally grilled
1-2 green onions, sliced (some reserved for garnish)
teriyaki glaze
Sriracha mayo, optional
chopped red pepper, optional, for garnish

Marinate salmon in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes to overnight, place in a baking dish and bake in a preheated oven set to broil until the salmon flakes easily, about 7-10 minutes.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat, place one tortilla in the pan (no need to butter or oil the tortilla), sprinkle half of the cheese followed by the salmon, pineapple, green onion, teriyaki glaze, Srirachi mayo (if using), the remaining cheese, and tortilla.

Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Cut into quarters.  Drizzle with teriyaki glaze and Srirachi mayo.  Top with a bit of pineapple sauce (serve extra on the side).  Garnish with green onions and chopped red peppers, if desired.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA (4 servings)

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded, and finely diced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Heat your grill (pan) over medium-high heat.

Lightly brush the pineapple slices with oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side.

Dice the pineapple and mix all of the ingredients.

Recipe Source:  www.closetcooking.com