For our windjammer guests who like their food hot and spicy, we’re offering a trio of Mexican recipes from the American Eagle. When it’s cool on deck, there’s nothing like a delicious bowl of black bean soup, spiced to perfection. Quesadillas round out the meal and a cool, crisp cucumber salad makes it perfect. Enjoy!

QUESADILLAS
Yield: four servings

2 boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces
4 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp minced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
8 soft corn tortillas
1 cup prepared salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut the chicken lengthwise into thin strips (about 6 strips per breast). Toss the strips with 2 Tbs of the olive oil, the cilantro, and a little salt and pepper, and marinate for about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. In a skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat and sauté the chicken until it is golden brown and just cooked through, turning each piece as needed to brown evenly. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Lay 4 of the tortillas out on the counter and spread 2 Tbs of salsa over each one. Lay 3 strips of chicken over each tortilla. Sprinkle about 1.4 cup of cheese over each tortilla.

Lay the remaining tortillas out on the counter, spread 2 Tbs of salsa over each one, and place over the filled tortillas. Transfer to a baking sheet, cover with parchment paper and bake 10-12 minutes, until the quesadillas are lightly toasted and the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

CUCUMBER SALAD
Yield: four servings

2 cups very thinly sliced European cucumber
½ cup very thinly sliced onion
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 Tbs minced fresh dill
salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill before serving.

BLACK BEAN SOUP
Yield: four to six servings

1 ham hock
½ pound dried black beans
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green pepper
1 cup diced red pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large pot, cover the ham hock with 2 ½ quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the black beans and the liquid smoke. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours, or until beans begin to soften.

Remove the ham hock from the soup and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bones, breaking or chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Add the meat back to the soup, along with onions, peppers, and cayenne and simmer for another hour or so, or until the beans are completely tender. When beans are quite soft, use a potato masher to break up some of the beans. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, accompanied by Chicken Quesadillas and Cucumber Salad.

For more recipes from the fleet, visit our galley webpages.