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Ingredients
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Chorizo
Cheese Dip Base
Seasoning & Finish
To Serve
Method
Chorizo
- 1
Cook aromatics
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbs neutral oil. When shimmering, add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 2
Brown chorizo
Add the fresh pork chorizo (removed from its casing) to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat until the meat is fully cooked and most of the fat has rendered, about 7–9 minutes. Taste a small bit and drain off all but about 1–2 tbs of fat (leave a tablespoon in the pan to flavor the dip). Remove the pan from heat and transfer half of the cooked chorizo to a bowl for mixing later; reserve the other half for topping the finished dip.
Cheese Dip Base
- 3
Make cornstarch slurry
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water until smooth to form a slurry. This will help stabilize and slightly thicken the cheese sauce.
- 4
Warm dairy
In a medium saucepan set over low to medium-low heat, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm gently until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil), about 4–6 minutes.
- 5
Incorporate cream cheese
Add the cubed softened cream cheese to the warmed milk/cream. Whisk constantly over low heat until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
- 6
Add shredded cheeses
Gradually add the shredded Monterey Jack and white cheddar a handful at a time, whisking after each addition until fully melted and smooth. Maintain gentle heat — avoid boiling to prevent the cheese from separating.
- 7
Thicken and season
Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the cheese mixture and continue to cook on low for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Taste and adjust salt as needed (the chorizo and cheeses are salty, so start low).
- 8
Combine chorizo with cheese
Stir the reserved half of the cooked chorizo (the portion saved for mixing) into the cheese sauce until evenly distributed and heated through, about 1 minute. Keep the sauce warm over the lowest heat or transfer to a small oven-safe dish and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while preparing to serve.
Finish & Serve
- 9
Assemble
Spoon the warm cheese-chorizo dip into a shallow serving bowl. Top with the remaining cooked chorizo reserved earlier so there are visible flavorful meat morsels on top.
- 10
Garnish
Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro over the top and finish with a squeeze of lime if desired. Add additional cracked black pepper to taste.
- 11
Serve
Serve immediately with tortilla chips or toasted bread slices for dipping. If the dip cools and thickens, gently rewarm on the stove over low heat, stirring in a splash of milk to loosen if necessary.