By this point, you guys don't need a preamble from me about how much I love cheese. You KNOW I am full blown, 100%, absolutely crazy about it. I'm a wee bit afraid to go to France for fear of never leaving — the cheese will suck me in and never spit me out, I'm pretty sure of it. Would I complain? Absolutely not. I could live with cheese FOREVA!
White cheddar, particularly, is one of my favorite good ol' cheeses. There's nothing too fancy or scary about it, so pretty much anyone is bound to like it, and if you get a good sharp one: YUM. Heaven. Who needs a fancy Morbier when we have white cheddar? (Um, okay I need a good Morbier every now and again! SAY YES TO YUMMY CHEESE!).
I know I'm probably about two weeks late for this recipe — it would have been a superbowl snacktime winner — but I figure better late than never. Valentine's day is coming up, and if your valentine is anything like me... well, you should probably give/make them some cheese. Just sayin. It'll be a hit!
Get some chorizo (SPICY!), sage (fresh!), white cheddar (SHARP! and HIGH QUALITY!), and beer (anything. I'm not picky here!)... add a few extra zips and zaps and you have yourself some hot gooey cheese ready for heaping onto potato chips. Queso fundido, anyone? YES, yes yes yes please!
This recipe is most definitely the best enjoyed piping hot and fresh off the stove, but you can reheat it if necessary. If you (for some craycray reason) don't finish it, I highly recommend putting it in your scrambled eggs the next morning! I took a big spoonful (hardened in the fridge), put it in the frying pan first and let it melt as I broke it up into smaller chunks, then added the eggs and scrambled it all together. Best eggs ever? Maybe so. How can you go wrong with chorizo, beer, and cheese in the morning? Maybe don't answer that question... ENJOY! xo
White Cheddar Sage Queso Fundido
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 hot chili (I used birds eye, but jalapeño would be great too), minced
- 3 Tbsp fresh sage, minced and divided
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- salt & pepper
- 12 oz. fresh spicy chorizo, casing removed
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup beer (preferably something light, like a pilsner or lager)
- 12 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the diced tomatoes, minced chili, 2 tablespoon minced sage, and lime juice. Add a sprinkle of salt, mix, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chorizo for 3-4 minutes, until browning and some fat is rendering. Use a spatula to break it into small pieces as you cook.
- Add the onion, garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon sage, and cook for 2 minutes before adding the beer.
- Stir occasionally and simmer until the beer has mostly reduced and there is very little liquid in the pan.
- Mixing constantly, add the cheese in very small handfuls until fully smooth.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper, spoon the tomato mixture over top (and cilantro, if using), and serve with tortilla chips.
Jess Zimlich says
I love cheese in every form and queso is no exception!!
Mary says
Amen! I'm right there with you!