Cooking Lesson #735: Queso Fundido

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? A couple of weeks ago we met a client at a new age Mexican restaurant called Borracha located at Green Valley in Henderson, NV. They have a diverse menu of delicious Mexican entrees, but at Borracha, queso is the star of the show! What is Queso Fundido (emphasis on FUN)? It is nothing less than fondue with a south-of-the-border accent!
 
Queso Fundido is not only fun to eat but fun to make, too. Picture this… a pot of sharp and flavorful cheese that looks and smells so scrumptious melting on the stove. I thought about skipping the part where it gets bubbly in the oven and going straight for the chips. And yet, the real beauty of this dish is all the interesting stuff going on below the surface of the cheese—every bite is full of chewy, spicy chorizo, crunchy Anaheim peppers, and tangy onion—almost the same as Borracha.
 
Crisp corn tortilla chips are the classic vehicle for scooping up Queso. That said, Queso also tastes amazing wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla—it’s like a super fancy quesadilla.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  10 minutes
 
Ingredients 
4 ounces spicy ground chorizo
1 cup minced sweet yellow onion
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded with ribs removed and cut into long strips
2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 thinly sliced radishes (optional top garnish)
Warm salted corn tortilla chips for scooping
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400º F.
2. In an 8-inch cast-iron pan or heavy bottom skillet, break up the chorizo and cook it over medium heat until brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a bowl and leave the drippings in the pan.
4. In the same pan, sauté the onions and peppers in the chorizo drippings until tender.
5. Add the chorizo back to the pan and top it with the 2 shredded cheeses, salt and heavy cream.
6. Give the pot a quick stir and place it in the oven.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and lightly brown. Remove from oven.
8. Top with cilantro and radishes (if using) and serve warm with tortilla chips!

ChefSecret:  Queso Fundido is the perfect snack for a last-minute Friday Happy Hour or a March Madness watch party. It comes together in about 20 minutes and perhaps more importantly, it pairs remarkably well with a cerveza fria (cold beer). A crisp, clean Modelo Especial will cut right through all that gloriously salty cheese and leave your palate ready for the next bite! I personally like a Grit—a premium margarita made with Patron tequila—stirred and not shaken.

Quip if the Day:  Q: What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?  A: Nacho cheese!
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#Entree #Appetizer #QuesoFundido #Queso #CheeseDip #Cheese #TortillaChips #MarchMadnessSnacks #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

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