Chile con queso

Chile con queso

A bowl of chile con queso served with tortilla chips as an appetizer in a Tex-Mex restaurant
Type Dip
Course Appetizer or side dish
Main ingredients Cheese (often Velveeta or other processed cheese, Monterey Jack or cream cheese), cream, chili peppers
Cookbook: Chile con queso  Media: Chile con queso
Chile con queso served in a restaurant

Chile con queso[1] (Spanish for "chile with cheese"), sometimes described simply as queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese and chili pepper typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.

Background

Chile con queso (also spelled chili con queso) is a part of Tex-Mex and Southwestern cuisine, originating in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua[2] as a version of Queso chihuahua and Queso flameado.[3] Chile con queso is predominantly found on the menus of Tex-Mex restaurants in Texas and other U.S. states.[4]

Ingredients

Chile con queso is a smooth, creamy sauce, used for dipping, that is made from a blend of melted cheeses (often Velveeta or another processed cheese, Monterey Jack or cream cheese), cream, and chili peppers;[5][6] the latter sometimes in the form of the canned tomato and chile pepper mix sold by Ro-Tel.[7] Many restaurants serve chile con queso with such added ingredients as pico de gallo, black beans, guacamole, and ground beef and/or pork.

Serving

Chile con queso is a warm dish, heated to a desired temperature. Chile con queso can be eaten with tortillas, tortilla chips, or special queso chips which are thicker than regular tortilla chips. It can also be used as a condiment on fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, migas, quesadillas or any other Tex-Mex dish.

While Tex-Mex restaurants offer chips and salsa free of charge, queso is usually offered for an additional charge. It can be made with various cheeses. Usually it is white or yellow in color.

Although chile con queso is commonly called "queso", it should not be confused with "cheese dip," which is specifically cheese without the peppers.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Patricia Gonzalez La Gran Riqueza de la Cocina Mexicana 1999 Page 62 "Chile con queso de Nuevo León 6 chiles verdes serranos 4 jitomates 1 cebolla 1 queso fresco de vaca sal al gusto.. "
  2. ↑ Alan Davidson, ed. (1981), Food in Motion: The Migration of Foodstuffs and Cookery Techniques - Oxford Symposium 1981, London: Prospect Books, p. 274, ISBN 0-907325-07-6, retrieved 27 May 2013
  3. ↑ Cook, Allison (24 December 2009), "Why chile con queso matters", Houston Chronicle, archived from the original on 26 April 2012, retrieved 27 May 2013
  4. ↑ "Oxnard Forty League Members Entertain Remainder of Club With Spanish Dinner", Oxnard Press-Courier, p. 6, 3 April 1957, retrieved 22 March 2011
  5. ↑ Brownstone, Cecily (27 June 1972), "Chili con Queso Tasty Dip", Spokane Daily Chronicle, p. 27, retrieved 22 March 2011
  6. ↑ Vincent, Zola (18 April 1959), "Informal Lunch, Supper Ideas Come From Mexico Kitchens", Lodi News-Sentinel, p. 36, retrieved 22 March 2011
  7. ↑ Jose Ralat Maldonado (9 September 2009). "Qué Es Queso and Why Are Texans So Enamored With it?". Slashfood. Kitchen Daily Food Group/AOL, Inc. Archived from the original on 9 September 2009. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
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