These deliciously cheesy quesadillas make fabulous party food, and this is an easy recipe to scale up to feed a whole crowd of revellers. Recipe purists should note that traditional Mexican quesadillas are made with one tortilla folded over the filling into a half-moon shape, rather than sandwiching the filling between two tortillas, which is called a sincronizada (‘synchronised’, in Spanish).
Set a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. Toast for a minute or so until you can smell their aroma wafting up from the pan. Add the olive oil and garlic, stirring briefly for just 30 seconds before adding the spring onions and tomatoes. Season well with plenty of black pepper and a little salt and fry for a couple of minutes until the tomatoes start to soften. Tip into a large bowl and stir through the sweetcorn, cheese, chicken and coriander.
Assemble the quesadillas by taking 1 tortilla and spooning a layer of filling, about 2cm deep, over one half. Fold over the other half to completely enclose the filling and give you the half-moon shape. Repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas. The assembled quesadillas can be kept in the fridge for a few hours, if you like. Alternatively, the filling can be chilled for up to 2 days before assembly
To make the guacamole, place the avocado flesh in a deep jug. Add the lime juice, garlic, olive oil, chilli sauce to taste and a little salt and pepper. Pulse with a stick blender until smooth, or mash with a fork for a chunkier guacamole.
When you are ready to cook, set a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and drizzle in a teaspoon of olive oil. Scrunch up a piece of kitchen paper and spread the oil into a very thin layer. Once the oil is hot, add one of the quesadillas and fry for about 90 seconds on each side, turning with a fish slice until they are crisp and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Slice each one into wedges and serve with the guacamole and a dollop of soured cream on top or on the side.
