“Give it a sec for the pain to start. This wreck right here, it ain’t for the faint of heart.”
Inspired by MF DOOM “Kon Queso” from MM..FOOD
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This is part of the Cooking The Album project for MF DOOM’s MM..FOOD, and one of three dessert titles on the album.
Being an old white guy, I am going to avoid any analysis of DOOM’s lyrics or place in hip-hop history. Let’s just say I am a big fan, feel he makes some of the smartest tracks on vinyl and is the king of sci-fi comic nerds beats. For these recipes, I’m going to stick with the lyric I choose as a reference point and how it fits into my overall culinary concept. In this case, with the title “Kon Queso”, there was no other option than to make a queso dip. When you dig deeper into the lyrics to find the actual mention of “con queso”, you will discover this:
Have no fear, the ninja here
Feel ’em like the tinge in your ear from drinking ginger beer
When it’s on, loco head gon’ lay low
And heat it like beef patty, coco bread kon queso
What’s interesting is the ginger beer, beef patty, and coco bread are traditionally Jamaican dishes that then collide into the Tex-Mex kon queso. It’s the sort of unlikely wordplay DOOM is known for and I can’t deny it’s a spread that would be fairly tasty. Wrap the beef patty in coco bread, dip in queso, and wash it down with a spicy ginger beer. Then give it a sec for the pain to start.
This dip is essentially a jacked-up version of the cheese sauce I use for Cheeses Of Suburbia. The cheddar and pepper jack for a great tangy cheese base and American cheese increases the emulsifying effect and dipability. Ro-Tel with melted Velveeta is the OG of queso dips, but I think Velveeta tends to be a bit too oily and processed tasting. Kick up the spice a bit with Valentina hot sauce or your favorite. A few sprinkles of red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper would also work if you are really looking to exclude the faint of heart.
If you’re going to go through the work of making fresh queso dip, then make fresh tortilla chips. They are dead simple and WAY cheaper than anything in a store-bought bag.
KON QUESO
Makes about 4 cups
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup milk, does not need to be whole milk – 2% will work
1 pint half & half
1 8-ounce block of extra sharp cheddar, shredded
1 4-ounce block of pepper jack, shredded
2 ounces of American cheese, shredded
1 can of Ro-Tel, drained
2 teaspoon Valentina hot sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper. Continue whisking until thoroughly blended. Cook for a couple of minutes – continuing to whisk – until a light roux forms. Slowly add the milk and half & half constantly stirring. Keep stirring and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens and starts bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese. Keep stirring until cheese has completely melted and there are no lumps.
When all the cheese has melted, stir in the drained Ro-Tel and the Valentina. Combine thoroughly and serve with hot tortilla chips.
TORTILLA CHIPS
1 1/2 quarts (1.4L) peanut, vegetable, or canola oil
16 fresh corn tortillas, stacked in groups of 8 and cut into 4 wedges each
Kosher salt
Heat oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 350°F (177°C). Add 1/3 of tortilla chips and cook, agitating and flipping them constantly with a wire mesh spider, until bubbles slow to a trickle and chips are pale golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl, season with salt, and toss. Allow to drain for 30 seconds, then transfer to a second bowl. Repeat with remaining chips in 2 more batches.
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