Mushroom Quesabirria

Quesabirria is a Mexican dish that's taking the U.S. by storm. Traditionallly, quesabirria comprises stewed beef folded into a tortilla with melted cheese and served with a side of broth for dipping. Our vegetarian version gets a boost of nutrients with mushrooms and Eric's Nopales Taco Truck nopales and brine.

Ingredients:

Mushroom Birria:
4 dried Guajillo chiles, stemmed and deseeded
3 dried Ancho chiles, stemmed and deseeded
2-3 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed and deseeded
2 ½ cups boiling water
½ cup Eric’s Nopales Taco Truck brine
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
One (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 pounds oyster mushrooms

Quesadilla Assembly:
Six (9-inch) flour tortillas
1 jar Eric’s Nopales Taco Truck nopales, drained
1 pound shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterey jack
½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the dried chilis and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. After about 5 minutes, transfer to a large bowl and cover with boiling water and nopales brine. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
2. Return the clean skillet to the stove and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent; 5 – 6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes along with all the liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a blender. Add the toasted chilis and their soaking liquid, along with the oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and vinegar. Purée on high speed until smooth.
4. Cut off the woody bottom portion of the oyster mushrooms, then shred them with your fingers. Place a large saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Once hot, add the shredded mushrooms and sauté for 8 – 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy around the edges. Pour about 2 cups of the blended birria broth into the saucepan and let the mushrooms simmer for 10 minutes.
5. To assemble the quesadillas, set a clean skillet over medium heat. Pour in about ¼ cup of the birria broth and add 1 tortilla, flipping to coat it in the sauce. Top with ¼ cup Eric’s Nopales Taco Truck nopales, ½ cup shredded cheese, ½ cup oyster mushrooms, 2 tablespoons diced onions, and 1 tablespoon cilantro.
6. Fold the tortilla in half. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then slice each quesadilla into wedges. Serve with extra birria broth on the side for dipping.

Yield:
6 Servings