Jalapeno Queso Fundido Food

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH CHORIZO, JALAPEñO AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix the jalapeño, cilantro, scallions and salt. Add the cheese and toss well.
• If serving as dip, skip to Step 4. If serving as sandwiches: drizzle slices of bread with oil and brown in a toaster oven. Top with chorizo, then the cheese mixture. Return to toaster oven and toast until bubbling.
• If serving as dip: heat the broiler. Combine the chorizo and cheese mixture and pour into a shallow baking or gratin dish. Broil until melted and bubbling, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with the chips and lime wedges on the side.

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!

PUMPKIN QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the top 1 1/2 inches of the pumpkin and discard. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
• 2. Heat the chorizo in a medium pot over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno, green chiles, cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the jalapeno softens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour is slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cheeses. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts and the mixture is creamy, about 3 more minutes. Place the pumpkin in a small baking dish and fill the pumpkin with the cheese mixture. Add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake until the pumpkin is tender, about 1 hour, 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 more minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

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.

FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Char the peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler and then scrape off the blackened skin (do not wash). Remove and discard the seeds and stems and cut into large dice and set aside. Grill or roast the onion, serrano chile and tomatillos until lightly colored and chop coarsely. Remove core and seeds from tomatoes and cut into small dice. Arrange half the sliced cheese in the bottom of 4 individual earthenware dishes and scatter all of the vegetables over the top. Sprinkle half the cilantro over this and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place remaining cheese over all and top with remaining cilantro. This can all be done up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.
• To serve: place the filled dishes in a hot (425 degree) oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted and just beginning to color. Top with a tablespoon or two of the black bean salsa and garnish with the avocado and cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately with crisp tortilla chips if desired. For the Black Bean Salsa: Blanch the bell peppers in lightly salted boiling water for 5 seconds. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking and drain. Combine with rest of ingredients and refrigerate. Can be stored refrigerated and covered for up to 3 days.

JALAPENO QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• In small cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and jalapeños with salt and pepper until tender and brown. Remove hot skillet from heat and stir in cheeses to melt.
• Top with cilantro and more jalapeños if desired. Serve immediately.

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH ROASTED POBLANO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the poblanos on a baking sheet and roast, turning, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Peel the poblanos with your fingers, then halve, seed and roughly chop.
• Combine the roasted poblanos, vinegar, garlic, honey, canola oil and 2 tablespoons water in a blender; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the queso fundido: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the monterey jack. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Turn on the broiler.
• Scrape the cheese mixture into an 8-inch cast-iron pan and arrange the goat cheese rounds on top. Broil until golden brown in spots. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Bring the wine to a simmer in a double boiler. Add the mozzarella and Jack cheese and stir until melted. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes. Place in a fondue pot and serve with flour tortillas and blue corn chips.