Queso Fundido

Coming from Texas, I love this type of appetizer.  Use chips or slather onto a warm flour tortilla...yum. 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces coarsely grated mild yellow cheddar
• 8 ounces coarsely grated Monterey Jack
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 4-ounce link fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup lager
• Tortilla chips

• Mix tomato, chile, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt; let salsa stand for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss both cheeses with flour in a medium bowl. Cook chorizo in a medium saucepan over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to render, about 1 minute. Add onion and continue cooking until chorizo is cooked and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer chorizo mixture to a small bowl; return saucepan to heat. Add beer; simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits. Whisking constantly, add cheese mixture a 1/4-cupful at a time, allowing it to become blended and smooth between additions. Stir in chorizo mixture. DO AHEAD Queso can be made 30 minutes ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• To reheat, warm skillet with queso fundido over medium heat; stir until melted and bubbly.
• Using a slotted spoon, spoon salsa over queso. Serve in skillet with a basket of tortilla chips on the side.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

1 serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 280
• Fat (g) 18
• Saturated Fat (g) 9
• Cholesterol (mg) 55
• Carbohydrates (g) 5
• Dietary Fiber (g) 2
• Total Sugars (g) 1
• Protein (g) 22
• Sodium (mg) 680

Portuguese Baked Eggs

What a great brunch dish or, if you add a leafy green salad, a hearty dinner.  Youse got youse spice, youse creaminess of the ricotta, and youse herbal-ness of the, well, herbs.  Serves 6

Photo by Matt Duckor

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, with seeds, halved lengthwise
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup ricotta
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (about 4 oz.)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan (about 1 oz.)
• Toasted country-style bread (for serving)

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 10–12 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, garlic, jalapeño, basil, oregano, chili powder, and paprika to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and liquid is thickened, 20–30 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Discard jalapeño.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer bell pepper mixture to a 13x9” baking dish. Using the back of a spoon, make 6 evenly spaced divots in mixture. Spoon a dollop of ricotta into each divot, then crack 1 egg into each. Top with cheddar and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake, rotating dish halfway through, until Parmesan is melted and egg whites are almost set but yolks are still runny, 15–18 minutes.
• Serve baked eggs with toast. (Yolks will continue to cook as dish sits, so serve right away if you prefer your eggs soft.)
• DO AHEAD: Bell pepper mixture can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

• Calories (kcal) 300
• Fat (g) 27
• Saturated Fat (g) 11
• Cholesterol (mg) 260
• Carbohydrates (g) 14
• Dietary Fiber (g) 3
• Total Sugars (g) 6
• Protein (g) 19
• Sodium (mg) 410