Chile Con Queso

Well, there's some football watching going on over here, and my guys want some Queso.  It's a tradition.

Chile con Queso is chile with cheese, and there are some really rank canned imitations being served out there in fast/junk food land.

And I'm not claiming that the kind I make is the authentic, original way to make it, but it is certainly a step above the pasty orange grease that is being ladled out over salt-laden fake tostadas at snack food stands.  Not a giant step, but a step.

So, okay, you start with green chile. You should use a lot, after all, the dish is chile with cheese, not cheese with chile.   I am lucky enough to have green chile available all through the year here,  but if it's just impossible for you to get fresh chile you could use canned, but rinse them well. (Or, you could just throw up your hands and use Rotel, no shame in that.)

I could tell as I coughed cleaning it that it was going to be HOT, so this was enough.

Chop some onion and saute it with the chile for a few minutes, until the onion is cooked or transparent.  I am using a steel bowl to saute so I can just move the whole thing over a pan of water for a double boiler.  You really need a double boiler to make this, it's too easy to ruin over direct heat.

Add the tomatoes. I used canned diced that I had rinsed and drained.

To that add evaporated milk, 1 large can to start, and you might decide you need more if it's too thick.

Then add Velveeta.  I know.
Velveeta?

Velveeta is a kind of processed cheese.   Velveeta is used as a base to melt in the rest of the cheese.  If you don't use Velveeta or can't find it,  it is possible to just use the evaporated milk as a base.

Then throw in the real cheese. I used Monterrey Jack for this but you can experiment with Cheddar, Colby or Longhorn and decide what combination you like the best.  Colby/Jack works well, too.

Then it's just a matter of letting the water boil underneath and stirring until the cheese is all melted.  And you're done.

Enjoy the game!