Green Queso Fundido Food

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a skillet over medium heat, add the oil if using. Most Mexican chorizos have enough fat and won't need the vegetable oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stir frequently to cook evenly and avoid it from sticking to the bottom. It'll take about 6-7 minutes to cook.
• Once cooked, remove the excess fat from the skillet or place the cooked chorizo over a paper towel to absorb the fat.
• Place the chorizo in an oven proof dish, setting aside 2 tablespoons to garnish when ready to serve. I divided the chorizo and cheese into 2 small clay pots, but you can use a large oven proof dish.
• Place the grated cheese over the chorizo and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Do not overcook or it will have a chewy texture.
• Remove form oven and place over a heat proof surface. Serve warm with salsa and plenty of flour tortillas or tortilla chips.

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cook the chorizo in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it renders, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, serrano and garlic and continue cooking until the chorizo is crisp and the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the mixture from the skillet and transfer to a bowl. Toss the cheeses with the flour in a separate bowl.
• Add the beer to the skillet, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Whisking constantly, add the cheese mixture a little bit at a time, whisking until smooth and well blended. Stir in the beans, chiles and chorizo mixture.
• Place the skillet in the oven and cook until the queso is hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions and tomato and serve with tortilla chips.

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling it as you go, until browned and cooked through.
• Remove the chorizo from the skillet and drain it on paper towels (chorizo is very greasy!). Pour off any excess fat from the skillet.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add the onion and bell peppers.
• Cook the veggies over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the tequila, if using. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are golden brown and the liquor has reduced, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside. Turn off the heat.
• Mix the cheeses together, then cover the bottom of a medium ovenproof skillet with one-third of the cheese mixture . . .
• Add one-third of the vegetables . . .
• And one-third of the chorizo.
• Continue with two more layers, ending with chorizo. Sprinkle the top with chili powder.
• Bake until the cheese is totally melted, hot, and slightly bubbling around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch it constantly, as you don't want the cheese to get overly melted and hard. But you want it to be sizzling!
• Top with the tomatoes, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and the cilantro.
• Serve immediately with tortilla chips . . .
• Or carrot sticks and cauliflower florets if you want to avoid chips!

REE DRUMMOND'S QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook, stirring to crumble, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add bell peppers and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in tequila. Continue cooking vegetables, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Stir together Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses in a bowl; spread 1/3 in the skillet. Add 1/3 of the vegetables, then 1/3 of the chorizo. Repeat with 2 more layers, ending with chorizo. Sprinkle with chili powder.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheeses are melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with tomatoes, cilantro, and salt. Serve immediately.

GREEN QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• 1.Here is where Rick and I differ. I caramelized the onions a little before adding the Chorizo. He likes them crunchy.
• 2. Prepare the flavorings. Heat the oil in a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and chorizo and cook, stirring regularly and breaking up any clumps, until the chorizo is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the beer or other liquid ( white wine, tequila, water, or chicken stock) and the spinach; stir until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is once again dry looking.
• 3. Finish the queso fundido. Reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the vegetables and stir slowly and constantly until just melted-too long over the heat and the cheese will become tough, oily and stringy. Immediately scoop into a warm serving dish (a small fondue dish with a tea light below is ideal) and serve with warm tortillas and salsa for making soft tacos.
• NOTE: If you use beer, Monterrey Jack is the best cheese.

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice chiles and peppers into 3-inch julienne strips, toss together and set aside. Set 6 small or 1 large earthenware or glass casserole in the oven to heat thoroughly, about 10 minutes. Combine the cheeses in a bowl and place in the warm casseroles and return to the oven to cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cheeses over the peppers and chiles and diced onion and return to the oven for 5-7 minutes longer or until cheese is completely melted and beginning to bubble. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with warmed flour tortillas and Green Salsa on the side.
• In blender place tomatillos, jalapenos and water. Puree until just chunky. Add remaining ingredients and puree about 2 minutes more, or until no large chunks remain. This salsa keeps in the refrigerator, in a covered container, about 3 days.

TEQUILA-SPIKED QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, crumbling it as you go, until browned. Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off any excess fat from the skillet.
• Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the tequila. Turn the heat back on and cook until the vegetables are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, stir the tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon tequila together in a small bowl and set aside to marinate for a few minutes.
• To build, cover the bottom of a medium ovenproof skillet with a third of the Monterey Jack and Cheddar. Add half of the chorizo, then another third of the cheese. Next, add as much of the veggie mixture as you'd like (you may have a little left over). Add almost all of the remaining cheese, the rest of the chorizo and then whatever cheese you have left. Sprinkle the top very lightly with chili powder.
• Bake, starting to watch it 4 to 5 minutes in, until the cheese is totally melted, hot and slightly bubbling...but before the cheese starts to firm up/harden. (In other words, you still want the cheese to be extra gooey.)
• Drain the tomatoes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and top with the spiked tomatoes and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. It's best when piping hot! Wrap a cloth around the skillet handle so guests won't burn themselves.