I always love cooking for my friends, its a great way to get everyone together and talk about how ridiculous we were in our youths. I prepped some goodies in NYC during the week and made the trip out to Long Island for the weekend. One of my best friends Ryan Conroy, like me, is a big fan of Mexican cuisine, especially street vendor-style.

A great way to introduce my friends to the recently launched, Donovan’s Cellar craft beer dressing and marinades was to show them its versatility. I used the Ginger-Pineapple & IPA Barbecue Sauce and Marinade for a twist on a classic Mexican Quesadilla.

I first marinated the peeled shrimp and white onions with the IPA (India Pale Ale) sauce for 5 hours (while we were at the beach). Then grill the shrimp mixture and roughly chopped. Set the grill on high, then scatter some NY State sharp cheddar cheese over corn tortillas. This pasteurized cows milk cheese is perfect for grating, shredding and melting. When it begins to melt, add the shrimp mixture then fold the tortilla in half and flip over.

To serve, finish with a mango-tomato salsa, chopped cilantro, plenty of hot sauce and ice cold beer.

From my house to yours,
Brendan