Mushroom Queso Fundido
Sizzling and gooey, queso fundido topped with chorizo is a staple on Mexican restaurant menus across the country. But the dish likely stems from home cooks along North Mexico and South Texas. Depending on where you go, different cheeses like Monterey Jack, Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheeses are used. Bricia Lopez, an author of “Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling (Abrams, 2023)” and “Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” (Abrams Books, 2019), and an owner at Guelaguetza, in Los Angeles, was inspired by the salsa de queso and quesillo she grew up eating at her family’s restaurant to create her version of queso fundido, which uses the Oaxaca cheese to create a great cheese pull. She also tops it with mushrooms and epazote (see Tip), a fresh herb she grew up eating with cheese.
Yield
6
Time
1 hour
Ingredients
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh epazote (see Tip)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 pound/455 grams queso Oaxaca, shredded by hand into bite-size pieces (see Tip for alternative cheese options)
Fresh corn tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice, olive oil, vinegar and garlic with 3 tablespoons of the epazote; season the mixture with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 3
In a medium cast-iron pan, add the shredded Oaxaca cheese and the remaining tablespoon epazote. Stir to combine and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted.
Step 4
While the cheese is melting, add the mushrooms and their marinade to another cast-iron or nonstick pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deeply bronzed and nearly crispy on the edges, about 15 minutes.
Step 5
Gently spoon the mushroom mixture in the center of the melted cheese. Serve the queso immediately, directly from the pan, with tortillas or tortilla chips.
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