Caldo de Queso con Papas
Sopa, Caldo, y Consuelo – The Food Mom Made When I Was Sick
Tuesday at six p.m., the throat burns, the broth hisses, and the diced Yukon Golds soften in the pot. This is a delicate, restorative broth—far from any heavy, neon-yellow cheese dip—brimming with earthy roasted green chiles and soft cubes from a block of supermarket Monterey Jack that yield but never melt away. Ladle it out while it's scalding, let the cheese stretch, and sweat out the cold.
Before you start
Blister the peppers.
Char the Anaheim peppers directly over an open gas flame or under a broiler until blistered and blackened all over. Transfer them to a covered bowl to steam for five minutes, then peel off the charred skin, discard the stems and seeds, and slice the flesh into thin strips.
Ingredients
- Anaheim peppers3 med
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- white onion1/2 large
- cloves garlic2 small
- Roma tomatoes2 large
- Yukon Gold potatoes1 1/2 lb
- low-sodium chicken broth4 cup
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- saltto taste
- black pepperto taste
- evaporated milk1/2 cup
- Queso Panela or Queso Fresco10 oz
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Build the sofrito.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- 02
Cook out the tomato acid.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook them, stirring frequently, until they break down entirely into a thick, jammy paste. Do not rush this—eliminating the harsh acid now sweetens the base and prevents the milk from curdling later.
- 03
Simmer the potatoes.
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the cubed potatoes, the roasted pepper strips, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer and cover for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- 04
Warm the dairy.
Reduce the heat to its absolute lowest setting and slowly stir in the evaporated milk. Let it warm through for a minute or two, ensuring the pot never comes to a boil.
- 05
Steep the cheese off the heat.
Turn the stove completely off. Drop in the cubed cheese and cilantro, give the pot one gentle stir, and put the lid back on. Let it sit undisturbed for exactly five minutes so the residual heat softens the cheese into chewy perfection without breaking its structure.
Notes
The weeknight pepper cheat.
If roasting fresh peppers on a Tuesday evening is too time-consuming, you can substitute a 4-ounce can of high-quality diced roasted mild green chiles.
Protect the cheese.
Never allow the cheese to boil. If subjected to active heat, even sturdy fresh cheese will break down and turn granular instead of soft and squeaky.
From Cook Mexican in America.