Matt Martinez’s Chile con Queso

[Draggingtree]

 

BY COURTNEY BOND
Matt Martinez’s Chile con Queso

(Serves 6 to 8)

1 tablespoon canola oil
¹/₂ cup finely chopped sweet onion
¹/₂ cup finely chopped
jalapeño (you can use canned green chiles if you prefer; just add them with the tomatoes)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
¹/₂ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
8 ounces American cheese (I like the white American; if all you can find are the singles, stack them up and cut into little blocks)
1 cup chopped tomatoes

Using a heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high and sauté the onion, jalapeño, and dry ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the broth and heat 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken, then add the cheese and tomatoes. Carefully simmer the queso on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, adjusting its thickness to suit your taste by adding broth or cheese. Serve hot and keep warm, stirring every so often to avoid the dreaded “cheese skin.”

Adapted from Matt Martinez’s Culinary Frontier: A Real Texas Cookbook, by Matt Martinez Jr. and Steve Pate. Published by Doubleday.