Queso Fundido Mark Bittman Recipes

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 (MARK BITTMAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°; roast chile in a dry skillet over medium heat (or over an open flame), turning to brown on all sides; cool it, then peel, seed, stem, and chop.
• Liberally butter a 9-inch gratin dish or similar baking dish and put it in the oven.
• Meanwhile, add the oil to a large skillet; turn heat to med-high.
• Add in onion; cook/stir occasionally, until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
• Add in the chile and chorizo; cook/stir occasionally, until the choirzo is cooked through, about 5 minutes; drain oil from pan.
• Layer the cheese across the bottom of the heated gratin dish and sprinkle the chorizo mixture on top.
• Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
• Scoop the hot melted cheese and chorizo into warm tortillas and serve.

MAC AND QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
• As the water comes to a boil, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the mushrooms and cook until crispy and golden brown all over, about 5 minutes on each side. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet.
• Line another plate with paper towels. Add the chorizo to the skillet and cook, crumbling the meat with a spatula, until the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside on the paper towels to drain.
• Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta back to the pot.
• Meanwhile, in the skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour, then slowly whisk in the stock. Once the stock is incorporated, whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Whisk in onion powder and smoked paprika, then cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella, Mexican cheese blend and Parmesan until completely melted. Adjust the salt to taste.
• Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and stir to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce. Leave in the pot or transfer to a serving dish and top with the mushrooms and chorizo, if using. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

QUESO FUNDIDO

Steps:

• In a medium skillet or a flame-proof gratin dish over moderate-high heat, cook chorizo until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving any rendered fat in pan.
• Stir in olive oil and jalapeño. Cook for 1 minute. Add cheese, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is fully melted, about 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and chorizo and serve hot from pan with tortillas for scooping up mixture.