La Louisiane Chili Con Queso

By GadgetGirl

This is a classic Southwestern appetizer that can be served as a cocktail party hor d'oeuvre by placing the cheese mixture in a chafing dish or fondue pot and letting guests dip chips

Ingredients

• 2 cups oil
• 8 large corn tortillas, cut into quarters
• 1 lg. ripe tomato, cored and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 6-8 serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups grated American or Cheddar cheese

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Pour oil in a large heavy skillet and heat to 375 degrees. Fry the tortilla sections until crisp and lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Keep warm until ready to use.

Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the oil out of the skillet and add the tomato, onion, chilies and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and reduce slightly. Reduce the flame to low, add the cheese and stir until melted.

Spoon over tortilla wedges and serve immediately.

Note:You can prepare the cheese mixture up to 2 days in advance and reheat it slowly in the top of a double broiler. The tortillas should be fried the day they are used; however, they can be done in advance and reheated in a 300 degree oven.