thefoodlessprocessed

“El que comparte la mesa, comparte la vida.”/“Who shares the table shares life.” (Spanish proverb)

“We do not dip our spoons into the same bowl merely to eat; we do it to bind our friendship.” (Central Asian proverb)

“One pot of porridge can unite a divided house.” (Nordic proverb)

“A meal eaten from a single dish brings the hearts of the family together.” (Japanese saying)

“The family that eats from the same bowl rarely scatters.” (African proverb)

“Relationships are hardly complete until you share a meal together.” (Shona proverb from Zimbabwe)

“No man is poor who has a hot pot to share with a neighbor.” (American colonial era maxim)

“Eat together first, speak heart to heart afterwards.” (Chinese saying)

“Friendship is strengthened at table, for men become known to one another in sharing wine and food.” (Plutarch)

Quotes from these diverse sources underscore the deep roots of communal dining and, more specifically, the sharing of a common pot, in traditional food systems in their many forms. They illustrate the centuries-old understanding that the circumstances of how one eats matter as well as what one eats. The nurturing of spirit and body are inseparable.

Chile con queso is a dish from the shared pot tradition. This version comes from the Arizona-Mexico borderland. The method for making it has a conceptual similarity to a Swiss cheese fondue or a Welsh rabbit (aka rarebit). In fact, the technique for creating them is basically identical.

Neither Swiss cheese fondue, Welsh rabbit, nor chile con queso is a cheese sauce in which shredded cheese melts into a base of bechamel or flour and butter.

In all three instances aged cheese is added in increments into liquid kept below a simmer. When an addition of cheese is almost completely melted, the next is added, stirring all the while, until cheese and liquid are a combined whole. Then, the heat is turned up and, as the cheese mixture bubbles, a small amount of potato starch and spirits is added and the dish is whisked to the table.

Aged cheese is essential. It is well-aged cheese rather than added stabilizers that will ensure the cheese combines seamlessly with the other ingredients. How to identify an aged cheddar is discussed in detail here on the Ingredients page of thefoodlessprocessed.

A long, leisurely, communal meal such as chile con queso need not be reserved for special occasions, It makes the shared meal itself the special occasion.

Note: The amounts given below will make a queso generously serving 4. It is made with white cheddar. The orange tint comes from tomatoes–not a cheddar coloured with annato extract. A suggestion for arranging the table for a meal of queso appears at the end of the post.

The less processed ingredient options include: Cheddar Cheese, Milk, Cream, Tomatoes, Potato Starch, Vegetables, Butter, Cilantro, and Chilli Powder.

Equipment

• a Heavy-Bottomed Pan that will hold a liquid measure of 8 cups (1.9 liters): Cast Iron or Enameled Cast Iron works very well. Both maintain an even heat while melting the cheese. Chile con queso is eaten directly from the pan in which it is made, and either cast iron or enameled cast iron retains enough heat to keep the cheese hot throughout the meal. The photographed queso was made in an enameled cast iron sauteuse with a black baked-on porcelain enamel interior with an 8 cup (1.9 liter) capacity.
• a Wooden Spoon for stirring as the cheese is added and melted into the mixture
• a Cutting Board and Knife
• a Food Processor is convenient for finely chopping the onion, chiles, tomatoes and cilantro.
• a small Bowl and Plate to cover it in which to rest the roasted green chile and loosen the skin before removing the peel
• a small Bowl in which to mix the potato starch and tequila
• a large Bowl for the tortilla chips

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 pounds (680 g) of Aged White Cheddar, cut into cubes of about 1/4 inch (.6 cm). This is not an exact measurement. The cubes should be of around that size.
• 5 Organic Roma Tomatoes or any other tomatoes with good flavour, seeded and chopped in smallish bits
• about 1/4 cup of Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
• 1 roasted Green Chile (aka Anaheim Green Chile): The first step of the recipe below describes a roasting method.
• 1 Serrano Chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons of European-Style Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup (240 ml) of Minimally Processed Whole Milk, plus a little more to add to the cheese and liquid mixture to reduce its temperature if it begins to bubble as the cheese is being added and melted
• 1 cup (240 ml) of Organic Cream
• 4 teaspoons of Unmodified Potato Starch and 2 Tablespons of Tequila, mixed together
• Organic Indian Powdered Red Chilli or Cayenne Pepper to add additional heat to the queso: The serrano chile will mellow as it cooks in the queso. Chilli powder or cayenne will adjust the heat of the queso to your preferred level.
• a handful of Organic Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• about two 16-ounce (450 g) bags of Corn Tortilla Chips (aka Totopos)

Making the Queso

• Roast the green chile by placing it directly on the burner over a gas flame, turning it as the skin chars in patches on both sides. Alternatively, roast it on a sheet of aluminum foil in a 400 F (200 C) oven until the skin is unevenly charred–for perhaps 15 or 20 minutes. Place the roasted chile in a small bowl and cover it with a plate. Set it aside for about 20 minutes. The steam will loosen the skin. Then cut off the stem and slit the chile from top to bottom. Rinse out the seeds under running water and rub off as much skin as will come off easily. Chop in fairly small pieces in the processor or by hand.
• Melt the butter in the pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté it briefly to soften and colour a little.
• Add the tomatoes, the serrano and green chiles. Simmer the mixture until the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes thicken.
• Place the bowl of cheese cubes within easy reach. Add the milk and cream to the pan. Adjust the heat to a medium low level. The liquid should be hot, but not simmer, as the cheese cubes are added.
• Add a large handful of cheese cubes. Stir as they begin to melt.
• When most of the cubes are melted and only a few soft rounds are visible on the surface, add another large handful of cubes. Stir continuously, but slowly. Give some attention to unmelted bits and press them lightly against the sides of the pan, adjusting the temperature of the mixture by adding a bit more milk if it begins to simmer. and by lowering the heat a bit if necessary. All of the cheese will be added in 3 or 4 increments.
• Taste the queso a couple of times as the cheese is melting. Add some Indian red chilli powder or cayenne to increase its heat to the level you like. The chilli will taste quite hot initially but its heat, like that of the serrano, will mellow as it cooks.
• As the last soft rounds of cheese begin to disappear, add the potato starch and teqiuila. Stir it in. Stir in the cilantro. Turn up the heat and, no longer stirring, bring the queso to a brisk simmer until the mixture bubbles all over the surface.
• Transfer the pan to the table and begin at once. Pass the bowl of tortilla chips, each person helping themselves to a handful and placing them on their plate. The concept is similar to the Swiss cheese fondue, but, instead of dipping cubes of bread speared on a long fork into the cheese, the chips are dipped by hand into the queso.

Arranging the table for a queso

• Place a folded towel or heat pad on the table in advance on which to place the hot pan of queso as soon as it is ready to eat.
• Arrange dinner plates and the bowl of tortilla chips on the table in advance. No silverware is needed.
• A round table gives everyone easy access to the queso which is placed in the center. If the table is rectangular, two persons seated on either side is a convenient way to ensure that everyone can “reach the pot”.