Monday-Friday, 11am-3:30pm, we feature an $8 lunch. It changes everyday but you can check Facebook or Twitter for today's $8 lunch special.
$8.00Queso Fundido
Being from Texas I grew up on a fairly steady diet of Ro-Tel and Velveeta, especially around Super Bowl time.
And while I occasionally still succumb to this guilty pleasure, my taste buds have grown up and I prefer a more refined version of "queso".
While I'm posting this a little late for a Super Bowl party dish, Queso Fundido is an excellent winter time dish, a delight of calories after a powder day or long grind on the skate trails.
Use a mild cheese in this dish as you want the flavors of the roasted chiles to stand out. The variations are many - add chorizo or mushrooms for a heartier meal.
This is similar dish to the Potato Rajas we serve in the restaurant.
Ingredients**:
2 fresh poblano peppers
1 fresh red pepper
1 medium yellow onion - sliced in thin strips
4 oz Mexican chorizo, casing removed.
8 oz of mild melting cheese. if you want to stick to the Mexican cheese go with Asadero or Quesadilla cheese. you could also use a mild Monterrey Jack or Cheddar.
Homemade corn tortillas or thick chips to serve with.
1. Roast the poblanos and red peppers either on a grill, directly under a broiler or open stove flame. The goal is to get a good char on the entire pepper. Once charred, place in a plastic bag and seal. You want the peppers to steam so they are easier to peel. After about ten minutes in the bag, peel the char off the peppers, also remove the stem and seeds. A small bit of running water can help loosen the charred bits, but don't use too much. Cut the peppers into bite size strips.
2. In a cast iron skillet, add a small amount of oil and brown the chorizo. Add the onions as the chorizo browns and saute until they are cooked through and have absorbed the flavors of the chorizo***. Add the roasted peppers and saute briefly with the onions and chorizo.
3. Finally, add the shredded cheese to the skillet and consistently stir to keep the cheese from sticking and to incorporate all the ingredients into the cheese.
It's ideal to serve this in the skillet you cooked it in. Otherwise, transfer to a warmed bowl and serve immediately.
If you are super motivated, make your own corn tortillas to serve with the queso. Otherwise I recommend thick chips that are good for scooping.
**Some notes about the ingredients/directions and the photos. I use a red onion instead of a yellow here - it's what I had on hand and I actually prefer red onion. I also diced it instead of slicing it. The chorizo shown is a homemade "green" chorizo, much different than what you would buy at the store. This chorizo is made with roasted poblanos, cilantro, lime juice and jalapaneos. It's very delicious, has a bit of a floral taste to it rather than the "spicy" flavor of what you find prepackaged in the store. Finally, I didn't have any Mexican cheese on hand so I used what was available - mozzarella and a mild white cheddar.
***To add some extra flavor, just before you finish sautéing the onions and chorizo, add a few tablespoons of tequila to the skillet, use it to loosen up all the browned bits and cook it until most of that liquid has been cooked off. Then add the roasted peppers and cheese.
