Ethnic Recipes

Queso Flameado

Source: Los Barrios Family Cookbook

1/4 pound chorizo (Mexican sausage), casings removed
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 serrano chile, minced (optional)
2 cups shredded queso Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons 151-proof liquor, such as Everclear
Corn or flour tortillas, heated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour off the fat. Add the onion, tomato and mushrooms and/or chile, if using, and saut? until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, spread the cheese in a small baking dish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until completely melted. Remove from the oven.

Pour the chorizo mixture over the cheese. Pour the liquor over the top, and using a long match, carefully ignite the liquor - the flames will die down in 30 to 40 seconds. Serve with corn or flour tortillas by placing the cheese inside each tortilla and folding them over to form a taco.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

• Hot Chorizo Tamales