Two favorite Mexican and South American dipping sauces sure to liven up any party or gathering: Chile con Queso ('chile with cheese') and Roasted Jalapeno Salsa. Both offering a different sort of smoldering heat (controlled to your liking with the ingredients) and bold flavors not soon to be forgotten!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 15Chile con Queso: 4-5 cups+ Roasted Jalapeno Salsa: 1/2 cup
6tablespoonsgluten-free Flour(or regular all purpose flour if not gluten-free)
214.5-ouncecans Fire Roasted diced Tomatoes with Chipotle Peppers
14-ouncecan Diced Green Chiles(select hot or mild to your heat preference)
4ouncesCream Cheese or Neufchatel cheese(the latter is lower in fat)
12ouncesgrated Mexican cheese blend*
Hot Pepper sauce(like Tabasco)
Tortilla chips, corn tortillas and /or vegetables for dipping, corn tortillas and /or vegetables for dipping
Ingredients for Roasted Jalapeno Salsa
8 3-4 inchJalapeno Peppers
3smallGarlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
1 ½teaspoonCanola Oil
Pinch salt to taste
Instructions
Instructions for Chile con Queso
In a heavy large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in flour and stir until beginning to turn golden, about 4 minutes.
Mix in tomatoes, chiles and cream/Neufchatel cheese, cooking until the cheese melts stirring all the time (about 3 minutes).
Simmer until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes) stirring the entire time.
Add cheese and stir until melted and bubbling (3-4 minutes). Add hot pepper sauce to taste. Blend with an immersion blender (or traditional blender but if so blend in batches) until smooth. Serve with hot/warm dipping items. Note: if planning to have the dip sit out, using a mini crock pot or chafing dish to place the dip in works best.
Instructions for Roasted Jalapeno Salsa
Place jalapenos on a baking sheet underneath a heated broiler in the oven. As jalapenos blacken on each side (ensure they turn fully black before turning), turn to expose a side that is still green until the entire pepper is blackened. Remove from oven.
Place all the peppers together in a zipper plastic bag and place the bag in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until peppers can be easily handled by hand. Remove the blackened outer skin of the pepper. Cut off the top/stem of the pepper and slice lengthwise to open the pepper. Scrape the inner seeds and membrane and cut pepper roughly into four pieces.
Place peppers, garlic cloves and canola oil in a blender of a mini chopper. Blend until smooth. Add salt, taste; add more salt if desired and blend to fully combine.
Notes
+Chile con Queso batch size: the ingredient amounts definitely make a 'party batch' size; if desiring a smaller amount, cut recipe in half.*I purchase an organic pre-grated Mexican cheese blend of Colby, Monterey Jack and Cheddar mixed which is perfect for recipes like this. If that is not available grate your own cheese ensuring Cheddar be included (both for flavor and color).Prep Time: the time for the roasted chilies to cool is included in the prep time. The prep and cooking for the dips can easily overlap and have both dips done within 30 minutes unless the chilies take longer to cool before handling.