Mexican Flaming Cheese Food

FLAMING GREEK CHEESE (SAGANAKI)

Steps:

• Brush each side of the kasseri cheese with water. Dredge both sides in flour, making sure the surface is completely covered.
• Preheat a well seasoned cast iron skillet on medium-high heat until smoking. Pour in olive oil. Carefully place the floured cheese in the hot oil. Cook until cheese begins to ooze and a golden brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Quickly flip cheese over with a spatula. Fry until bottom is golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
• Remove skillet from heat and transfer onto a napkin-lined plate. Pour brandy over the cheese. Light the brandy using a fireplace lighter. Now you can exclaim "Opa!" and marvel at the fire. Squeeze some lemon juice on top to extinguish the last few flames and garnish with parsley.

MEXICAN FLAMING CHEESE

Steps:

• Brown the ground beef and drain.
• Add remaining ingredients and cook until cheese is melted.
• Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees (uncovered) for 15 minutes.
• Serve with flour tortillas.

QUESO FLAMEADO (FLAMING CHEESE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F
• Heat chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly and spoon off most of the fat.
• Slice cheese into 1-inch cubes; place half in a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with half the chorizo and remaining cheese. Top with remaining chorizo. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until creamy and bubbly.
• Remove from oven and drizzle with brandy. Carefully light with a match; brandy will flame up and burn out quickly. Top mixture with crumbled chiles, green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortillas.

FLAMING MEXICAN CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook sausage 2 minutes, add onion to soften. Add tomatoe, jalapeno, and garlic. Saute' 2 minutes, add cheese. Cook to melt cheese. Add cilantro and hot sauce. Serve on tortllas

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a 3 or 4 cup ovenproof baking dish.
• In a dry medium skillet, saute the chorizo over medium-high heat until almost crisp. Remove the chorizo to a plate. Add the onions and garlic to the pan juices and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Return the chorizo to the skillet with the onions and garlic and stir to combine.
• Put half of the cheese in the baking dish and sprinkle with half of the chorizo mixture. Repeat with the remaining cheese and chorizo mixture. Bake until the cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve with flour tortillas for soft tacos.

QUESO FLAMEADO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Pour off the fat.
• Add the onion, tomato and mushrooms and chile, if using, and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, spread the cheese in a small metal baking dish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until completely melted.
• Remove from the oven.
• Pour the chorizo mixture over the melted cheese.
• Pour the liquor over the top, and using a long match, carefully ignite the liquor- the flames will die down in 30 to 40 seconds.
• Heat the tortillas (can wrap in a paper towel and heat in microwave 1 minute).
• Divide and place cheese/chorizo mixture inside each tortilla and folding them over to form a taco.

SAGANAKI: FLAMING CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice the cheese into 1/2" thick triangles or 3-4" squares (depending on the style you buy).
• Place brandy into a zip-lock baggie and add cheese portions, seal and let marinate for 2 hours).
• Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over a med/high heat. Remove cheese portions from marinade, reserving marinade for later use.
• Dredge cheese thru the flour, shaking off excess.
• Fry the cheese slices approx 2 minutes, flip with spatula and fry an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat when nicely seared on each side and gooey.
• Now here is where you need to heed a caution -- Carefully carry the cast iron skillet to the dinner table. Pour 1 ounce of the brandy marinade over the top of the fried cheese, and immediately set ablaze with a lighter. (Be sure to yell "Opa". Immediately squeeze a lemon slice over the top to dowse the flames.
• Serve with warmed pita slices and additional lemon wedges. Enjoy!