Cast Iron

Bobby Flay's Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette

by:
February  2, 2018
5
2 Ratings
Bobby Flay's Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
Photo by rosemary | a hint of rosemary
  • Serves 8 to 10
Author Notes

The first time I made this, I followed Bobby's recipe to the letter. The one thing I want to stress is that you can easily change this up. There are lots of folks out there who don’t care for goat cheese. There’s a substantial amount of goat cheese in this one. You could easily reduce the amount or substitute with another soft cheese such as feta, camembert, burrata or mozzarella. (I can personally recommend using burrata - over the top creamy & delicious.) If you want a little more kick, consider using a Mexican blend of shredded cheese instead of the Monterey Jack variety. Just be sure you don't skip the star of this show ...the roasted poblano vinaigrette. —rosemary | a hint of rosemary

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
  • 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • olive oil (for coating peppers)
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (or any neutral oil)
  • Queso Fundido
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 cups monterey jack cheese, grated (12 ounces)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 slices (or any preferred soft cheese)
  • Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • good quality corn tortilla chips, for serving
Directions
  1. Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet. Rotate until charred on all sides, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and place roasted chile peppers in a bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the skin to loosen. Peel and halve each chile pepper. Remove seeds and chop roughly.
  3. Place the chopped poblanos, along with the remaining ingredients, in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated.
  1. Queso Fundido
  2. Preheat the broiler.
  3. Melt butter in an 8-inch cast iron pan over medium heat. (If not using a cast iron pan, see NOTE below.) Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat and season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the grated Monterey Jack cheese. Evenly place the slices of goat cheese over the top.
  4. Place the pan under the broiler and, keeping a close watch to prevent burning, broil until cheese is golden brown on top. Remove from oven. Immediately drizzle with the poblano vinaigrette or spoon it over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve with chips for dipping.
  5. NOTE: If you don't have a small cast iron pan, use a medium-sized saucepan on the stovetop. After mixing in the Monterey Jack cheese, transfer to an ovenproof (and broil proof) serving dish and top with goat cheese slices. Proceed as directed.
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5 Reviews

Jennie R.
Jennie R. January 23, 2023
This Bobby Flay recipe is a must when entertaining. It comes together fairly quickly -- especially if you prep the roasted poblano vinaigrette ahead of time. It's rare to find a fundido recipe without chorizo, so I appreciated the flavors are full-on here.
 
B
B November 27, 2021
This was unbelievable good. I just used 16 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese. The roux/milk make it much more creamy than queso fundido that I've made it the past (which was great) but it is the poblano vinaigrette that puts it over the top. Guests RAVED about it.
 
rosemary |.
rosemary |. December 1, 2021
So glad you loved it! I get the same reaction every single time I serve it. And I agree ..the roasted poblano vinaigrette is perfection!
 
Fred R.
Fred R. January 29, 2020
It would seem to be a waste to use burrata, because its creamy nature would be cooked out. I guess you want a cheese which would stand out in the heat. No?
 
rosemary |.
rosemary |. January 29, 2020
We have some family members that just don’t care for goat cheese. I found that the burrata worked especially well because of the creaminess. It actually withstood the heat very well and was still creamy in the finished dish.