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Chile con queso norteño

Chihuahua's roasted green chilli strips melted with Chihuahua cheese

In Ciudad Chihuahua and the farming towns of the Sierra, chile con queso is not the runny orange dip of Texas bars but a skillet of roasted long green chillies, onion and tomato with mild Chihuahua cheese melted through it, scooped up with flour tortillas at a carne-asada Sunday or eaten as a main with beans. Chihuahua cheese, also called queso menonita after the Mennonite farmers who make it, is like a mild, buttery cheddar. Chef's tip: steam the roasted chillies in a covered bowl; the skins then slide off in one go.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

To serve

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Char 4 Anaheim or poblano chillies over a gas flame or under a hot grill, turning, for 8 minutes until blistered and black in patches. Cover in a bowl for 5 minutes, then peel, seed and cut into strips.

    8 min
  2. Step 2: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook 1 white onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add 1 garlic clove, 1 ripe tomato and ½ tsp salt and cook 3 minutes until the tomato breaks down.

    8 min
  3. Step 3: Stir in the chilli strips and ½ cup milk and bring to a gentle simmer.

  4. Step 4: Turn the heat to low and add 9 oz Chihuahua cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each is melted and the sauce is smooth and stretchy. Common mistake: boiling it after the cheese goes in; it turns grainy and oily.

    3 min
  5. Step 5: Serve hot in the pan with 8 warm flour tortillas for scooping.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
500 kcal
Protein
21 g
Carbs
40 g
Fat
29 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does chile con queso norteño take?
About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of white onion?
2 shallots per onion.

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