Southwestern Chile-Cheese Fondue

Dominick & Amanda's Note:

From Vegetarian Times, November 2002 "Flavorful Pepper Jack cheese needs little help to make it taste wonderful. The pickled jalapeños may be eaten as a relish or dipped in the fondue and are especially suited to those who like fiery foods. Use fresh corn or flour tortillas, if available, and at serving time, place tortilla wedges in baskets lined with a damp napkin or dish towel. Warm in the microwave for 20 seconds and set out smaller baskets filled with tortilla chips. For festive color, garnish fondue with chopped red peppers."

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 garlic clove , mashed
• 2 ½ cups beer , Dos Equis (or other Mexi- can)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds , ground fine (raw hulled)
• 1 ½ lbs monterey jack pepper cheese , shredded, about 4 cups
• ½ cup roasted green chilies , diced
• 2 dozen corn tortillas or 2 dozen flour tortillas , cut in wedges
• 1 lb tortilla chips , preferably baked
• 3 -4 quarts vegetables , cut into serving size (raw or steamed, such as carrot sticks, bell peppers, celery, radishes, baby carrots, broccoli pieces)
• 2 cups jalapenos , pickled (left whole)

Directions:

1. Place garlic and beer in saucepan, and heat over low until simmering.
2. Mix cornstarch with water, stirring to make paste, and stir into beer. Increase heat and cook beer until it boils and begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low. Add pumpkin seeds and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add cheese and, using generous handfuls at a time, stir into beer until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat until cheese is gone. Stir in green chiles.
4. Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot or crockpot. Keep fondue warm over alcohol burner or in crockpot over lowest setting. Serve with accompaniments.