The Best Super Bowl Dip Is This Extra-Cheesy Queso Fundido
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The first thing to know about queso fundido is that it’s not “queso,” the creamy dip, often based on Velveeta, eaten with chips. Queso fundido, which translates to “melted cheese,” is just that: It’s melted cheese to which you can add sautéed mushrooms, poblano peppers or chorizo.
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It must be eaten the moment it’s done, when the cheese is warm and stretchy. You spoon it out, take pictures of your cheese pull, and quickly put it in a corn or flour tortilla with whatever fixings you want — avocado, salsa, maybe a squeeze of lime. Think of it as a cheese taco.
This version is based on the queso fundido I had at Nicos in Mexico City a few years back. The first time I went was with a group of local friends. I didn’t order, but rather happily ate whatever came to the table that they had ordered. The first thing that arrived was a cazuela of queso fundido topped with a mountain of fried parsley. I was stunned. I’d seen a lot of queso fundido in my time but never one like this. I loved the juxtaposition of the rich, dense cheese and the ethereal leaves of crispy fried parsley. It was literally something I wrote home about. I thought about that presentation many times and did my best to replicate it here.
Have your accoutrements and your appetite ready before melting the cheese in the oven and get ready to dig in. Just like you don’t walk away from a soufflé, you don’t walk away from queso fundido. Some things don’t get better with time.
Queso Fundido With Chorizo And Crispy Parsley
Heat the 4 cups of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees (use an instant-read or frying thermometer).
Using scissors, cut off the ends of the parsley stems, leaving an inch or two attached to the leaves. If you have a salad spinner, give the leaves another spin to get them as dry as possible. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and have your salt nearby.
Drop a handful of the parsley leaves in the oil and cook until the oil quits bubbling, about 90 seconds, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a temperature of 300 degrees. Use a strainer to lift the parsley out of the oil, let it drain for a couple of seconds and shake and tap it to remove the excess oil. Turn the parsley onto the paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and repeat, frying all of the parsley in small batches. Turn off the heat.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, cook the chorizo in a small cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it’s cooked through and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Put the cheese and peppers in an iron pan or skillet and put it in the oven until it melts, about 8 minutes. Remove it from the oven and pile the chorizo on top.
Have your warm tortillas, salsa and whatever else you’re serving with it ready. Pile the parsley into a mountain on top of the queso fundido and eat it while it’s hot!
