Billionaire Blend (A Coffeehouse Mystery) (9 page)

(Mexican Cheese Dip)

Clare faced a dilemma while catering the Appland party. Some staff members had issues with eating dairy or gluten. Others were junk food junkies, still hooked on college computer-lab fare of 24/7 candy bars, pizza, and nachos. When Clare spied Doritos on Eric Thorner’s Gulfstream jet, she knew he and his gang would be up for this gooey, delicious Mexican-American dip.

Because eating fundido is a whole lot of fun, one might get the impression that that’s where the name originated. In truth, queso fundido means “melted cheese” in Spanish. The dish, which combines the bubbly flavor of warm cheese with the bright, malty flavor of Mexican beer, originated along the borders of Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.

Serves 4

1 plum tomato, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Dash black pepper

½ cup Corona or other pale lager beer

6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks

6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks

Tortilla chips

Chorizo, your favorite sausage, or bacon bits (optional, for topping)

Step 1—Roughly chop the cheeses:
Break block cheeses into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.

Step 2—Prep the veggies:
Chop tomato, onion, and jalapeño pepper. I recommend using only the green part of the jalapeño, discarding the seeds and the white membrane, which hold more heat than flavor. (For tips on working with jalapeños, and suggestions for other peppers to use in this dish, see note at the end of the recipe.)

Step 3—Cook the veggies:
Heat a nonstick, oven-safe saucepan, or a well-oiled, cast iron saucepan over medium heat (if you do not have a nonstick, oven-safe saucepan, see note in Step 6). Sauté veggies until the onions are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes
.

Step 4—Simmer:
When the veggies are soft, add the oregano, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Add and heat the mixture to simmering, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits that may stick to the pan. Let simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.

Step 5—Add the cheese:
Add cheese chunks, a handful at a time, while stirring vigorously. Allow each addition to melt and the mixture to become blended and smooth before adding more. When all the cheese is added and mixture is smooth, you’re ready to finish. You can serve now or save it for a few hours before service. Add chorizo, sausage, or bacon bits, if using (for directions on how, see note at the end of recipe).

Step 6—Finish under the broiler:
With the cheese melted and blended, you can now finish by broiling and serving in the same pan in which you cooked it.
If your pan is not oven-safe, transfer the dip to a casserole, pie plate, or another ovenproof container before placing it under a broiler and serving. Be sure to grease the new pan with oil to prevent the cheese from sticking.
Broil until the top just turns golden brown, about 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately, while mixture is bubbly and hot.

Beer Measuring Tip
: Never measure the foamy white head when using beer in a recipe. Allow the beer to settle first.

Variation:
For white Cheddar dip, replace extra sharp Cheddar with 6 ounces of
queso blanco
(or white Cheddar).

Serving tips and chorizo topping:
Use tortilla chips for dipping. You may also garnish the finished
fundido
with cooked chorizo, sausage, or bacon bits. For the chorizo or sausage, slice open the casings, and cook the meat inside, mashing with a fork until it resembles ground meat. Drain the meat and sprinkle it over
queso fundido
before it goes under the broiler.

How to reheat:
Simply warm the
fundido
over medium heat; stirring until melted and bubbly once again.

Pepper options:
Jalapeño is traditional for this dip, but if you’d like zero heat, go for a bell pepper. For milder heat than a jalapeño, use a banana, cherry, or poblano pepper. For more heat than a jalapeño, try a fresh Serrano, or sprinkle in some dried cayenne. Suicidal heat? Try a Thai chili, Scotch bonnet, or habanero.

Pepper safety:
Take care when cutting jalapeños or any hot pepper. The capsaicin in the peppers can burn skin. If you have a tiny scratch or winter-chapped skin, the burn can be painful. Should you absently touch your nose, lips, or your eyes while cutting hot peppers, you will surely regret it (ask me how I know). Use latex gloves to protect chapped hands; otherwise, work with care.

Clare Cosi’s Italian Beignets

The Appland crew missed out on this treat, but you can enjoy them by following this recipe. Clare’s grandmother used this basic dough to make a sweet treat and also a very traditional recipe—a savory Italian snack called anchovy fritters. While Clare’s father loved the fritters, Clare was not a fan. She preferred the sweet, fried dough treats that her nonna made from this dough. They taste like donuts but crispier. They puff up like a French beignet and are finished with confectioners’ sugar, but they’re not exactly that, either. Whatever you want to name them, once you taste them, you’ll call them delicious.

Yield:
About 1 dozen fried dough treats (depending on size)

Easy yeast proofing:

¼ ounce dry instant yeast

¼ cup warm (not hot) water