This is a recipe I’ve been refining over the years. Inspired by Uncle Julio’s and others with a unique twist of my own….
- 1 lb Boar’s Head American
- 1/2 lb Aged Sharp Chedder
- 6 ounces pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 onion
- 6 ounces Rotel diced tomato’s (hot, medium or mild). Careful as hot Rotel is pretty hot.
- 3 ounces Chipotle peppers
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2/3 pack frozen Stoufers spinach soufflé
- 2-6 tablespoon honey
- Steps 1-4 create the roux. Heat the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat, taking care not to burn it or brown it too much.
- Add the ¾ of the evaporated milk to the fat in the pan, stirring the mixture as you add the liquid.
- Place the other ¼ of evaporated milk in a cup. Put the tablespoon of cornstarch into the cup and mix it thoroughly into a smooth paste. This will prevent lumps of cornstarch from developing in the roux.
- Spoon the cornstarch paste slowly into the pan little by little, stirring vigorously while you add it. This will prevent any lumps from forming as it thickens.
- When your roux is ready, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a double boiler. If it’s really hot, let it cool a few minutes. The sauce only needs to be hot enough to melt the grated chedder cheese, which you should stir in gradually until just melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Now slowly add the American cheese. Heat only as much as needed to melt slowly.
- Dice onions and slow sauté with butter and on medium heat until slightly browned.
Dice jalapeños, green and Chiplotle chilies. - Microwave 2 minutes / defrost Stoffers Spinach.
- Add salsa, chilies, onions, spinach and honey slowly to cheese. Amounts above are recommended and really hit a delecate balance of flavors but you may adjust. Be careful not to over-add. Add slowly and sample (my favorite part) often to reach desired taste. Note that a bag of chips is helpful during to “tuning” process.
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- You may also adjust the consistency now with heavy cream to thin, or add more cheese to thicken.
- Tweak and “heat” to taste.
Do not leave the queso on heat for long periods of time as it will begin to thicken and get bitter. Better to microwave or double boil smaller batches as needed to protect the flavor and consistency. Reheat slowly.