IHCC: Cinco de Mayo ~ Tequila Infused Queso Fundido

When I started linking up to Michelle's Sunday recipe link party over at Ms. enPlace I went through her blog, because I'm nosy like that.  I like to see where I'm sharing at.  It's cool to share, but sharing with people who get you and like the same kind of stuff (food) is even more fun.  Well, I notcied one of Michelle's top 5 viewed posts was Chicken Florentine (yum!) for something called IHCC.  Huh?

{Michelle's Chicken Florentine}

I clicked around and found out about I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC, get it).  So guess how this all works.  No?  Okay I'll tell you.  Every 6 months a chef is announced.  For the next 6 months there is a theme announced once per week.  Members of IHCC pick any recipe from the current chef that they think goes with that week's theme.  Cool!  

Right now IHCC is cooking from Rick Bayless's cookbooks.  I'm a little star struck with the whole idea after watching Chef Bayless on Top Chef Masters.  He is a Mexican food genius!!  I was totally psyched when I found out he is the current IHCC chef.  So I joined.  And today is my first recipe for the club.  Woo!  Each week that you participate, you stop by IHCC and link up your post.  Easy peasy.  Want to join the club or learn a little more, click here to head over to the I Heart Cooking Clubs welcome page.

But now, booze and food!!

Tequila Infused Queso Fundido
From Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4" pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4" pieces  {I would use half an onion}
1 large jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, & finely chopped {or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes}
3 tablespoons tequila, preferably silver (blanco) tequila
8 ounces Queso Quesadilla, shredded
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium high heat.  Add the tomato, onion, and chiles, and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until the onions begin to soften and brown, about 7 minutes.  Add the tequila and cook quickly, stirring, until nearly reduced to a glaze.  (If you tip the pan toward and open gas flame, it will ignite.)
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the vegetables and stir slowly and constantly until just melted - too long over the heat and the cheese will become tough, oily and stringy.
3. Scoop into a warm dish, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve right away with tortillas for making soft tacos.  You may want a little salsa too.

We ate our queso fundido with tortilla chips and it was good, like mind blowingly good.