If you've never had cheese soup you might be thinking, Huh? Cheese soup? Are you kidding me?
Relax. This is really kind of a potato soup, with the addition of lots of good Mexican cheese and chile peppers. VERY delicious! To be honest, I have only ever had "Sonoran style" cheese soup so I can't say what other styles are out there or how they might differ. But I can definitely vouch for how flavorful this particular recipe is, and how easy to make, so give it a try!
For a more tangy cheese flavor use Queso Manchego or Queso Asadero (or Longhorn Cheddar if you must); for a milder cheese flavor use Queso Chihuahua (or Monterey Jack if you must). Serve with warm flour tortillas and butter.
CALDO DE QUESO (Cheese Soup)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 large potatoes, cubed
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 green onion, sliced thin (including some of the green tops)
- 1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
- 1 4.5-Oz. can diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/12 liter milk
- 1/2 liters of water
- 2 cups of dry cheese
Garnish: fried corn tortilla strips, sliced green onions and/or bacon bits
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, saute the onion, potatoes, green onion, and chiles in the butter until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the diced tomato and saute over medium to medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Add the water and bring the soup to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and add the milk and cheese.
Stirring constantly to make sure the soup does not boil, heat until the cheese is melted and thoroughly incorporated with the soup. (Boiling or overheating at this stage will cause the soup to curdle)
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Buen provecho!
