Queso Frito Fried Cheese Recipes

EMPANADA DE QUESO: CHEESE TURNOVERS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and vinegar. Slowly add the water, as needed, mixing to form the dough, until well blended. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and knead gently until the dough becomes smooth, only a few seconds. Wrap well and chill for 30 minutes.
• Saute onion in butter and add spinach over medium heat. Cool and then combine with cheese, hazelnuts, and raisins.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half the chilled dough to 1/8 inch thick (keep the other half refrigerated until ready to use). Cut out 3-inch circles. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each circle. Brush egg wash around the edges of the dough. Fold the edges up forming a pouch, and seal.
• Refrigerate the empanadas on greased or parchment lined baking sheets at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the empanadas with egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

WAFFLE IRON "FRIED" CHEESE (QUESO FRITO) RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat waffle iron. (Set it to medium if it has temperature controls.)
• On a plate, mix flour with paprika or cayenne. Place eggs in a second plate or bowl and bread crumbs in a third. Working one slice at a time, coat cheese in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
• Spray both sides of waffle iron with nonstick spray, place as many cheese slices as will fit in waffle iron, and close lid. Cook until bread crumbs turn golden brown, about 1 minute. Repeat with any remaining cheese.
• Serve hot on its own or with salsa for dipping.

FRIED CHEESE WITH SHALLOT DRESSING (QUESO FRITO ALINADO CON SALSA DE ESCALONA)

Steps:

• In a cup combine the dressing ingredients. Dust the cheese pieces with flour, dip in the egg, then in the crumbs. (May be prepared ahead.) In a skillet heat the oil at least 1/2-inch deep to about 380 degrees F and fry the cheese quickly until golden on both sides. Or, better use a deep-fryer. Drain. Sprinkle the dressing over the cheese and serve immediately.

FRIED PLANTAINS WITH CHEESE: PLANTANOS FRITOS CON QUESO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the crema fresca and the cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Bring the water to a boil and lightly salt it. Add the plantain pieces, and cook until the slices are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the plantains, let cool, and push them through a ricer. Form the mashed plantains into small golf-ball sized portions. Refrigerate the plantanos until completely chilled and rested, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap, and press out each piece of dough. Set aside until all the dough is used.
• Place a small wedge of queso blanco in the center of each plantain circle. Fold the dough around the cheese like an envelope. Roll the package, sealing the edges and making sure the cheese is completely enclosed.
• In a deep saucepot, heat enough oil to deep-fry the plantain packages. When the oil reaches 375 degrees F, fry the plantains until they are golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Drain the plantains on paper toweling.
• Serve drizzled with the cumin-crema fresca sauce.

QUESO FRITO (FRIED CHEESE)

Steps:

• Mix together flour and paprika in a bowl. Have the beaten eggs in a separate bowl. Mix the bread crumbs and oregano in a third bowl. Dredge the cheese in the flour mixture, then egg and then coat well in bread crumbs. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Heat oil in a heavy skillet under med-high. Fry cheese until golden brown; about 20-30 seconds per side.

TEQUEñOS WITH GUASACACA (VENEZUELAN FRIED CHEESE STICKS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Cut the cheese into 3-inch-long planks, then cut them into sticks. Ideally, each one would be 1/2-by-1/2-by-3 inches but the shape of your cheese will dictate the dimensions and number of sticks. If the cheese is hard and crumbles easily, you may want cut it into wider rectangular planks instead of sticks. If using white cheese for frying or mozzarella, heavily salt the cheese, then place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let the liquid release while you prepare the dough.
• Working with one empanada disc at a time (keep the rest stacked with their liners, or they'll start to dry out the when you separate them), cut it into six 1-inch-wide strips. Remove the liners in between the discs and reserve them; they will come in handy if storing the tequeños later.
• Fill a small bowl with water. Dab water onto one end of each of the 2 shortest strips, overlap and press them together to create a strip that's as long as one of the remaining four strips.
• Spread the strips out, then dab the ends of one with water and slightly flatten. Place a cheese stick on the strip at an angle and wrap to cover the top of the cheese, pinching if necessary. Once the top is secure, wrap the dough around the stick, overlapping as you go, until the whole stick is covered with no cheese peeking through. You may need to pull and slightly stretch the dough to completely cover the end of the cheese stick. Cut off any excess dough and reserve it to patch up other tequeños, if necessary. If you need to attach another half strip with some water to completely seal, do so. Give the stick a very gentle roll and a tap on either end to seal. Repeat with the remaining cheese and discs. Depending on which cheese you use, you may have discs leftover. Save these for another use.
• The wrapped tequeños can be stacked in an airtight container, each layer separated with the reserved liners, and frozen for up to 3 months or they can be fried immediately.
• If frying right away, heat 2 inches of oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot to 325 degrees F. Place a couple of tequeños in the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry, flipping once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Bring the oil back up to the correct temperature in between batches.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Let cool slightly before serving with the guasacaca, for dipping.
• Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or sugar, if necessary. The guasacaca can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes 1 3/4 cups.