Queso Fundido with Rajas and Chorizo

Recipe by Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, Culinary Dietitian

Prep time 45 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients

1 large fresh poblano pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound (4 cups) shredded cheese (Asadero, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Quesadilla, Monterey Jack and/or Muenster)
1/2 pound raw Mexican-style chorizo, casing removed if necessary
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 large white onion, cut into slivers (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomato
16 street-taco-size (4-inch) flour or corn tortillas

Queso fundido literally means melted cheese. Don’t confuse queso fundido with creamy queso dip—the dip may be scooped with tortilla chips while the heartier fundido is spooned onto a warm tortilla and eaten like a soft taco. Shop for raw, Mexican-style chorizo. It comes in bulk packages or in links. For this recipe, avoid cured Spanish chorizo with its firmer texture and different seasonings.

Instructions

Lightly spray foil-lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Lengthwise cut pepper into quarters. Remove stems, membranes and seeds. Place, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Broil about 5-inches from the heat for 6 to 10 minutes or until the skin is charred and blistered. Tightly wrap pepper in foil and let stand about 15 minutes. Gently pull off and discard pepper skin. Cut pepper into 1/4- to 1/2–inch-wide strips. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush 8- to 9-inch oven-safe skillet or 8- x 8- x 2-inch baking dish with oil. Place cheese in prepared skillet. Bake, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until completely melted. Do not stir.
Meanwhile, in medium skillet cook chorizo over medium-high heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until brown, stirring occasionally to break up meat. Transfer chorizo to small bowl, leaving drippings in skillet. Add butter to drippings in skillet. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is very tender.
Spoon chorizo, onion, pepper strips and tomato on top of cheese. Return to 450°F oven for 2 to 6 minutes more or until cheese begins to brown on edges.
Meanwhile, heat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Place tortillas, in a single layer, on griddle. Cook for 1 to 3 minutes until warm through and slightly brown, turning once. Transfer to a tortilla warmer or wrap in a clean, lint-free kitchen towel.
To serve, place tortillas alongside warm cheese mixture. Scoop warm cheese with toppings onto tortillas. Fold and enjoy.

Photography by @mamaterranean