Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Chili Con Queso Fondue -- 10/25/07

Chili Con Queso Fondue

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (about a palmful) chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock (eyeball it)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
  • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups leftover meat (steak, chicken, pork – whatever you’ve got), chopped or shredded up into bite-size pieces
  • For dipping:
  • Tortilla chips
  • Spinach flour tortillas
  • Pretzel rods
  • Veggie sticks (bell peppers, carrots, celery – whatever you like)
  • Cherry tomatoes

Yields: 4-6 snack-size servings

Preparation

Place a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about two tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño and sauté until the veggies are tender, 5-6 minutes.

  • If your fondue pot can be used on the stovetop, you can cook the veggies right in that!
Step

While the vegetables are cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk the chicken stock into the butter-flour mixture, add salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook until thickened, a couple of minutes.

Step

Add the leftover meat to the gravy and cook until heated through. Mix in the shredded cheese and simmer until all of the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove the cheesy gravy from the heat and keep warm.

Step

When the veggies are tender, add the tomato sauce and chili powder and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Once the veggie mixture is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese gravy. Serve in a fondue pot and eat it up with your choice of dippers.