The original attempt to explain how to make a chupaqueso was presented in the Schlocktroops LiveJournal community on June 18, 2004. Here’s the text.
The finer points of chupaqueso making
As I noted in a previous LiveJournal comment, our favorite cartoonist has also committed the heinous crime of inventing the chupaqueso, and then compounded it by making it possible for 21st-century cooks to make them in their very own kitchens. I’ve been snared in his evil trap, and might as well share the lessons I’ve learned in the couple of weeks I’ve been making them regularly.
Read Howard’s recipe, referenced above, before you start on this. I won’t repeat his directions; these are just hints and refinements.
I’m a fundamentally lazy kinda guy. Grating cheese is too much work, so I buy it in those resealable bags of pre-grated cheese. Kraft Sharp Cheddar works fine; it doesn’t matter if you get it coarsely or finely shredded. The filler can be their Monterey Jack, but I’ve switched to their Mexican cheese blend, which is a combination of cheddar and jack, with just a hint of jalapeno flavoring. Similarly, I use Hormel fully cooked bacon pieces. Don’t forget the parmesan. Without that, it tastes a bit flat. (Been there, done that, ate it anyway.)
A non-stick pan is imperative, as is a non-stick spatula. I use a wide nylon turner with a sharp edge. This makes it easier to flip the whole thing instead of folding it on top of itself. Pick a pan with a round flat bottom about 8 inches across, with gently sloping sides above that. A large skillet is the right idea. Don’t worry about spraying the pan with anything; it won’t help, and the right pan won’t need it anyway.
Arrange all the ingredients nearby, while you’ve got the time to do it. Unless your kitchen is especially well laid-out, you won’t have time to go to the fridge to dig out the filler after the shell is ready.
A cup of cheese turns out, for me, to be about two good handfuls. Spread it evenly across the pan, but don’t worry about making a nice round disk of shredded cheese. As it melts, it’ll do that all by itself. Wait till it’s all melted and bubbling nicely before you worry about trying to lift the edge. If you start too soon, you’ll just get cheese stuck to your spatula. It takes about 5 minutes on my stove to get to the point it’s ready to start working seriously on. It’s ready to flip when you can form a slightly raised lip with the spatula and not have it sink back to the pan. Go ahead and form the lip all the way around, as that will make unsticking it from the pan easier.
Lift the pan, and slip the spatula under the toasting cheese. The trick here is to do it quickly so you get the spatula under the shell, instead of scrunching it all up. You’ll have to jab it a bit. Flip the shell, and use the spatula to smooth it out again (it’ll be a bit wrinkled). After a couple of moments, flip it again. The underside will not have been toasted, so you’ll get cheese all over your spatula. Don’t worry about it this time, since you’re nearly done.
You’ve got about 30 seconds or so to finish. Grab a handful of the filler cheese and sprinkle it in a row down the middle of the shell. Don’t worry about being too neat, but there’s no point in sprinkling it on the parts of the shell that will be folded over. Add parmesan, and don’t be stingy. If you’re adding bacon, don’t be stingy with that either. Fold the two sides on top of the filler. You’ll probably have to use your fingers to make sure the edges are over the middle instead of scrunched up. The shell is HOT, so do this very quickly. Pat the folded sides down with your spatula and let it toast for just a moment longer, to make sure the filler melts, then slide onto a plate and enjoy.
This page was last updated on January 19, 2006 at 7:45 pm.