Quite possibly the most well known of Texas caterers, Don Strange of San Antonio entertained folks from the King Ranch to the White House to Hollywood. His is an interesting story of the family catering business that morphed from a family grocery store offering barbecue and auto repair to full-service, gourmet off- and on-premise catering.
Don’s wife Frances Strange (with Terry Thompson-Anderson) shares the history of the man and his catering biz in the book Don Strange of Texas: His Life & Recipes (Shearer Publishing, 2010), a project begun several months prior to Don’s death. It’s a true success story of a man who was innovative and constantly learning, always at the ready to solve a last minute catering “issue,” and most importantly a gracious host. Even James Beard took note.
Clearly, Don Strange made an indelible impression on the cuisine of the Lone Star State. These Mango & Brie quesadillas are classic Don Strange. Frances writes, “With Mexican food being a company specialty, Don loved to create very unique variations.”
Frances Strange will be signing the book in San Antonio on April 19, 6:30 pm, Central Market Cooking School, 4821 Broadway, San Antonio, 210.368.8617. And in May, she’ll be in Houston at these locations:
May 5, 4 to 6 pm, Katy Budget Books, 2450 Fry Road, Houston, TX 77084, 281.578.7770, www.katybooks.com
May 6, 12 to 1:30 Brazos Bookstore 2421 Bissonnet, www.brazosbookstore.com
May 6, 5 pm until closing, The Lift on 19th, 365 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008, 713.868.5438, www.thelifton19th.com
May 7, 1 to 3 pm, Blue Willow Book Shop, 14522 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, 281.497.8675, www.bluewillowbookshop.com.
May 6, 12 to 1:30 Brazos Bookstore 2421 Bissonnet, www.brazosbookstore.com
May 6, 5 pm until closing, The Lift on 19th, 365 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008, 713.868.5438, www.thelifton19th.com
May 7, 1 to 3 pm, Blue Willow Book Shop, 14522 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, 281.497.8675, www.bluewillowbookshop.com.
Mango & Brie Quesadillas
Author: Don Strange Catering
Recipe Type: appetizer
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Serves: 12
Recipe used with permission.
Ingredients
- 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 1 lb. firm brie cheese, rind removed, cut into very thin wedges
- 2 medium mangos, peeled and cut into 32 thin slices
- 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin slices
- 4 green onions and tops, sliced thin (optional)
Instructions
- Lay the flour tortillas on work surface. Divide cheese wedges into 8 equal portions (about 2 ounces each).
- Arrange a portion of the cheese wedges on the lower half of each tortilla. Place 4 mango slices on top of the cheese wedges. Top with several slices of avocado. Scatter an equal portion of the green onion (if using) over the mango and avocado slices. Fold the top half of each tortilla over the filling and press down firmly. Place the quesadillas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Heat a flat top griddle to medium-high. Place the quesadillas on the griddle, cheese side down, and grill until cheese begins to melt about 2½ minutes. Carefully turn them over and grill on the other side until filling is warm and quesadillas are sealed together by the melted cheese, another 2½ minutes.
- Remove from grill and slice each quesadilla into three wedges. Arrange on a platter and serve warm.