Queso Fundido!
Finally a dish that has 'fun' in it's name and how apt!
Roughly the name translates from Spanish to 'melted cheese' and is one of those dishes that can be just that or so much more. The traditional variations to this dish is as diverse as the families that make. Using everything from just peppers, to a mix of chorizo & peppers, this is a dish that can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
Since I have a potluck to go to, I'm making two dishes of this because it is just the dish when it comes to feeding a crowd.
Traditionally Oaxaca cheese is used for Queso fundido but I have taken the classic and reworked it.
Here's why - as much as I like the stringy cheese that Oaxaca which by the way is very very similar to mozzarella, I don't care for the lumpy texture of the fundido that results with just it.
So I'm adding a good melting cheese from Salvador but Manchego or any of your favorite melting cheese will be good too. Also, a good measure of sour cream goes a long way for a nice, smooth and much-more-apt-for-scooping-kind of texture.
Don't for one minute mistake this to end up like your 'jar of cheese sauce processed business' type of dip. It won't and thank goodness for that!
This here is a chunky, meant to be scooped-up kind of dip.
It all begins with sauteed onions, roasted poblanos, chopped jalapenos, chopped tomatoes, cumin and chipotle, then heaped with crispy chorizo sausage and shrimp and finally our cheeses which brings it all together.
So I hope you fix this for your next family gathering or football party and sports won't be the only thing the crowd will be howling about!
PS: It disappeared quick at the pot luck as well as at home and I had many people emailing me for the recipe including professional chefs!
Gather the ingredients,
1/2 lb mild chorizo sausage, 1/2 lb hot chorizo sausage, 2 Poblano peppers, 1 medium red spanish onion, 1-2 jalapeno peppers, 1 lb pre-cooked small shrimp, tails removed (pre-cooked, store-bought is fine), 1/2 lb Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, 1/2 lb shredded Manchengo or Salvadorean melting cheese or any other melting cheese, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin, 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper, 8 oz sour cream, 2 tbs vegetable oil, 2 tbs chopped cilantro for garnish, corn tortilla chips for serving
Poblano peppers – Place on a baking tray and roast under a broiler for 7-10 minutes on both sides until the skin is charred. remove to a paper bag or place in a pyrex bowl, covering tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Once cooled, rub the skins off and discard the woody top and seeds. Roughly chop and set aside.
Cool the oven by airing the oven for about 10 minutes and then Pre-heat the oven to 425 deg F
Red onion: Cut and discard the skins and the ends. finely chop and set side.
Jalapeno peppers: De-seed and chop and set aside.
Oaxaca cheese: Cut into 1/4" cubes or shred. Mix together with the other shredded cheese and set aside.
Chorizo - Remove casings and pull with fingers to shred. Combine both types of chorizo together in a bowl.
Heat a large cast iron pan for a few minutes on medium-high heat. Line a dish with kitchen paper towels.
Heat 1 tsp oil and add 1/2 the chorizo and saute until crispy and cooked.
Good to know: Do not over-crowd the pan or the chorizo released it's juices and stew instead of brown and crisp.
Repeat with the remaining chorizo. Remove all the chorizo to the lined dish to remove all excess fat.
In the same cast iron pan, heat the remaining oil and add the chopped red onions and jalapenos. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat until the onions has softened.
Add the can of diced tomatoes, poblano peppers and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
Add the crispy chorizo & precooked shrimp and stir to combine. Do not cook or the shrimp will toughen. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Do not add too much salt since the cheese has yet to go in.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chorizo mixture with the sour cream and combined cheese. With a rubber spatula, fold all the ingredients together to thoroughly combine.
Remove to a baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and top is bubbly.
Good to know: To finish, place under a broiler for 2-3 minutes until brown spots appear on the cheese.
Allow to rest for 30-45 minutes before serving.
Good to know: Do not serve hot out of the oven or the dish will be runny.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves just before serving. Serve with corn tortilla chips or corn tortillas for soft tacos.
Recipe for
Queso Fundido ~ Shrimp, Chorizo & Roasted Poblano Peppers
(A Mexican classic all reworked!)
Serves 4 -
Preparation time – 25 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Shopping list
1/2 lb mild chorizo sausage
1/2 lb hot chorizo sausage
2 Poblano peppers
1 medium red spanish onion
1-2 jalapeno peppers
1 lb pre-cooked small shrimp, tails removed (pre-cooked, store-bought is fine)
1/2 lb Oaxaca cheese
1/2 lb shredded Manchengo or Salvadorean melting cheese or any other melting cheese
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
2 tbs vegetable oil
8 oz sour cream
2 tbs chopped cilantro for garnish
corn tortilla chips for serving
Preparation-
Chorizo - Remove casings and pull with fingers to shred. Combine both types of chorizo together in a bowl.
Poblano peppers – Place on a baking tray and roast under a broiler for 7-10 minutes on both sides until the skin is charred. remove to a paper bag or place in a pyrex bowl, covering tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Once cooled, rub the skins off and discard the woody top and seeds. Roughly chop and set aside.
Red onion: Cut and discard the skins and the ends. finely chop and set side.
Jalapeno peppers: De-seed and chop and set aside.
Oaxaca cheese: Cut into 1/4" cubes or shred. Mix together with the other shredded cheese and set aside.
Method:
Cool the oven by airing the oven for about 10 minutes and then Pre-heat the oven to 425 deg F
Heat a large cast iron pan for a few minutes on medium-high heat.
Line a dish with kitchen paper towels.
Heat 1 tsp oil and add 1/2 the chorizo and saute until crispy and cooked.
Good to know: Do not over-crowd the pan or the chorizo released it's juices and stew instead of brown and crisp.
Repeat with the remaining chorizo. Remove all the chorizo to the lined dish to remove all excess fat.
In the same cast iron pan, heat the remaining oil and add the chopped red onions and jalapenos. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat until the onions has softened.
Add the can of diced tomatoes, poblano peppers and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
Add the crispy chorizo & pre-cooked shrimp and stir to combine. Do not cook or the shrimp will toughen. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Do not add too much salt since the cheese has yet to go in.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chorizo mixture with the sour cream and combined cheese. With a rubber spatula, fold all the ingredients together to thoroughly combine.
Remove to a baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and top is bubbly.
Good to know: To finish, place under a broiler for 2-3 minutes until brown spots appear on the cheese.
Allow to rest for 30-45 minutes before serving.
Good to know: Do not serve hot out of the oven or the dish will be runny.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves just before serving.Serve with corn tortilla chips or corn tortillas for soft tacos.
Enjoy!
