BULGOGI-INSPIRED BEEF QUESADILLAS

Bulgogi-Inspired Beef Quesadillas image

Provided by Eric Greenspan

Time 50m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

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1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 1/4 cups soy sauce
1/2 cup gochujang
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 Asian pear, coarsely chopped
2 pounds ground beef
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 slices American cheese
Six 10-inch flour tortillas
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Steps:

For the pickled onions: Combine the onions, vinegar, sugar and salt to in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Drain the pickled onions and set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the beef: Combine the soy sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, sesame seeds, white vinegar, mirin and Asian pear in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over the ground beef in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
To serve: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add 2 tablespoons of the butter and let melt. Meanwhile, place 2 slices of the American cheese in a tortilla, then top with some of the ground beef, pickled onions and iceberg lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Fold the tortilla in half to make a half-moon. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 5 more quesadillas. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas in a single layer, adding more butter as needed to the skillet, until golden and crispy on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.