Queso Fundito with Roasted Poblano Puree

I think that lounging around on a Sunday with the football on just begs for a hearty snack. In between plays and downs, there should be the sounds of chips crackling. It's just the way it should be. In fact, I'm surprised nobody has made that the an official rule. Maybe someone should get on that?

With cheese as the focus (really, when should it not be?) I melted it down into a creamy sauce before spiking it with smoked paprika and pouring it into a small cast iron skillet. The skillet then spent some quality time in the oven, getting hot and bubbly before it was dressed up with a spiced up poblano puree and set to out to rest beside homemade spiced corn chips.

Queso Fundito, or a melted cheese dip, isn't a new concept. It's been gracing our snack tables with its presence for quite some time but it's the simple addition of a bright and spicy puree that just elevates it a bit. I drizzled the puree with a heavy hand because I wanted each chip to have the opportunity to be dipped in the mix of flavors. Of course this could have been made without the puree but with the help of a blender it doesn't take that long to prepare and the outcome is not only quite the eye catcher, but also adds an extra layer of flavor to the party.

Queso Fundito with Roasted Poblano Puree

Queso Fundito 
- 3 TBS Butter
- 3 TBS Flour
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese
- 1 TBS smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup milk
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a pan, heat the butter until it melts. Add the flour and whisk together until well incorporated. Continue to heat to butter stirring every couple of seconds until the mixture starts to bubble a bit. Add the cheese and milk. Keep stirring until the mixture comes together and is smooth (more milk might be necessary). Pour into a cast iron skillet and then heat in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble. Once it's out of the oven, gently spoon the poblano puree over and serve immediately.

Poblano Puree
- 2 pobalno peppers
- The Juice of half a lime
- 2 TBS Vegetable oil
- 1 TBS red wine vinegar
- Salt and Pepper

Set the oven to broil and place the poblanos on a sheet pan. Roast them, turning them every so often to ensure they brown on all sides. Once they are consistently browned, take them out of the oven and let them cool enough to handle. Once you can handle them, peel the skins and stems and de-seed them. Put the poblano peppers into a blender and combine the rest of the ingredients. Puree the peppers and add a splash of water if the puree is too thick. Season to taste and set aside.