Queso Fundido Con Camarones (Cheese Fondue with Shrimp)

• Prep Time: 15 min.
• Cook Time: 10 min.
• Yield: About 6 cups

My version of this gooey, rich Mexican appetiser dip may or may not be authentic. I’ve tried to copy, and I think I improved on, versions that I have tried in local restaurants as well as in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

You can make this using chorizo or spicy ground beef (which I make very differently than the shrimp version) instead of the shrimp, or a combination of the three.

I prefer to buy blocks of good-quality cheese and grate them myself. If you prefer to save time, by all means, purchase already-grated cheese if you don’t mind sacrificing a little in flavour and overall quality.

For directions on roasting the garlic, please see my footnote below.

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• 1/4 pound Monterrey Jack cheese
• 8 oz. Queso Quesadilla
• 5 oz. sharp Cheddar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves of roasted garlic
• 1 bottle, 12 oz. lager beer
• 1 pound of medium-large shrimp
• 1/2-1 serrano pepper, finely chopped
• salt
• cilantro sprigs

Procedure

1. Shred cheeses and dredge with flour. Set aside.
2. Peel and devein shrimp. boil in beer, onion, serrano pepper, and roasted garlic for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp and reserve the boiling liquid.
3. Chop shrimp into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
4. Return the liquid to a boil. Turn off the heat. Slowly, stirring constantly, add the shredded cheeses to the liquid. Once the cheeses are completely melted, add the shrimp and stir to incorporate.
5. Pour Queso Fundido into a serving bowl. Serve with warmed flour or corn tortillas. Scoop a tablespoon of the queso fundido into a tortilla, add a sprig or two of cilantro, roll up, and enjoy.
6. With any type of Mexican fare, I like to serve margaritas or Mexican beer.
7. To roast the garlic, take 1 head of garlic. Peel off the excess, papery white skin. Cut a bit of the tips of the head off. Place the garlic head, root-side down, on a piece of aluminium foil that is large enough to enclose the garlic head.
8. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Fold and crimp the foil around the garlic to create an airtight purse. Roast the garlic in a 400ºF oven for 15-20 minutes or until you can smell the sweetness of the cooked bulb.