CREAMY QUESO WITH PICKLED JALAPEñOS

Creamy Queso With Pickled Jalapeños image

Queso, the crown jewel of Tex-Mex cuisine, is a creamy, tangy dip made with melted cheese. But it can't be just any cheese. This is one of those rare instances (see also: cheeseburger) where the preferred cheese is good, old-fashioned, highly processed American cheese. Velveeta is tops, but Land O'Lakes and Boar's Head have deli versions that will do. Kraft singles work, too, but it's a lot of unwrapping. The pickled jalapeños in this recipe aren't traditional, but they do add some welcome heat and a bit of tang that cut through the richness.

Provided by Alison Roman

Time 30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

2 jalapeños, with seeds, finely chopped
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
1 pound Monterey Jack or white Cheddar, grated
1 pound white or yellow American cheese, shredded or diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
3/4 cup cilantro, tender leaves and stems, chopped
Tortilla chips, for serving

Steps:

Place half of the jalapeños in a small bowl and cover with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and remaining jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and onion is translucent, but not browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, one handful at a time, whisking so that none of it settles on the bottom (it can burn that way), encouraging it to melt.
Keep an eye on the pot and continue whisking until the cheese is completely melted (it can take a while for the American cheese to totally melt) and the mixture is thickened considerably, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep on low until ready to serve (you can always thin with milk if it thickens too much).
To serve, ladle queso into a large bowl and top with sour cream, scallions, reserved pickled jalapeños and cilantro. Serve with chips for dipping.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 671, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 52 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 37 grams, SaturatedFat 30 grams, Sodium 1227 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams