Since this dinner is a breeze to prepare, I took the opportunity for some more ice cream experimentation. Though the chocolate gelato requires a bit of time to chill, it is most definitely worth the wait. I’ve separated out the directions for the frozen dessert makers and those who are just interested in dinner.

Menu

• black bean and corn quesadillas
• quesadillas with honey-lime tuna and cucumber salsa
• blue corn chips
• tomato-serrano salsa
• mango mint sorbet
• mexican chocolate sorbet

If you have an ice cream maker, start with the sorbet directions below and then return to the top set of directions once the sorbet is going.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Marinate tuna at room temperature in 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander for five minutes per side.
3. Prepare black bean and corn salsa by adding 1 can of corn (drained), 1 can of black beans (drained), and 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes to a serving bowl.
4. Add the juice and zest of half a lime along with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Mix and set aside.
6. Prepare the cucumber salsa by first dicing 1 cucumber, chopping 2 scallions and a serrano chile pepper, and peeling, de-pithing, and chopping one lime.
7. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, lime, chili, and scallions with 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
8. Mix and set aside.
9. Press 1 teaspoon pepper onto 1 side of the marinated tuna and broil for about six minutes (until just cooked through).
10. Prepare the tomato salsa by dicing two tomatoes and one onion and finely chopping 1 clove of garlic, 3 serrano chili peppers, and a handful of cilantro.
11. Combine the chopped items in a bowl with a half teaspoon of salt and the juice of one lime.
12. Mix and set aside.
13. When tuna is cooked, thinly slice or dice it.
14. Set out a large bowl  of tortilla chips for guests with smaller bowls with half the black bean and corn salsa and tomato-serrano salsa.
15. As guests arrive, ask them what type of quesadilla they like would (tuna or black bean).
16. For each quesadilla, place a tortilla on a large, flat plan and grate 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese on top.
17. For the tuna quesadillas, add two teaspoons tuna and one teaspoon cucumber and spread evenly on one half of the tortilla with the cheese.
18. For the black bean quesadillas, add two teaspoons black bean salsa and one teaspoon serrano salsa and spread evenly on one half of the tortilla with the cheese.
19. Using a spatula, fold the tortilla in half over the filling and cook for one minute on each side.

Sorbet Directions (start here if you have an ice cream maker)

1. Run the frozen mango under hot water for two minutes.
2. Chop 1/4 cup of mint leaves and a few pineapple sage leaves.
3. Break the 4 oz. of unsweetened chocolate into chunks.
4. Put chocolate, 2 pints of water, and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a sauce pan.
5. Add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and a dash of vanilla extract to chocolate mixture.
6. Set the saucepan to simmer for 20 minutes. Do not allow to boil.
7. Puree mango and add to gelato maker with 1/2 cup simple syrup and chopped herbs
8. Set gelato maker to run for 30 minutes.
9. When chocolate mixture is ready (no longer grainy), chill thoroughly in the fridge. Once it is chilled, pour the mixture into the gelato maker and set the machine to run for thirty minutes.