Need chef opinion on flambe

[Texmex]

So here in Texas, a lot of Mexican restaurants offer a flambeed queso. It's white cheese which is often just monterey jack, heated and a shallow oven proof dish until it's melted. The kind I like is called hongos con queso and it has poblanos and mushrooms in it. Another type has chorizo.

At the table they pour some clear liquor on it and light it. I've had this different places over a number of years. I once asked what kind of liquor it was and it was some kind of really raw liquor and not anything you'd really want to drink or that tastes good.

This last place I got it, not sure what liquor they put on it. I've had it a dozen times but the last time the server lit it and then immediately smothered it by turning the cheese mixture over onto the flames to put them out which left a bunch of raw liquor in there. I was telling him the whole time to let it burn off and I guess he didn't understand English. I couldn't even eat it.

But it made me curious what is the normal amount of time on a flambe. I think you want to leave it there burning off until it's truly burned off and sometimes it gives a little texture to the cheese or vegetables. And it definitely tastes a lot better burned off. But what do I know? I've only flambeed at home maybe once.

Are there any rules about it?

 

[dragnlaw]

The following is copied from an internet search. I think it explains it perfectly.

What is the point of flambé?

Flambé is the French word for “flamed” or “flaming. Liquor is poured over food and ignited, leaving behind the subtle flavor of the liquor or liqueur without the lingering flavor of alcohol. The technique is used for its caramelization flavor as well as its exciting tableside flair. Aug 11, 2021
MasterClass.com

Hope this helps - the server was very wrong to leave the liquor unburnt. And you know a lot! Whether or not you've made it at home. I think you've had it enough times to know when a technique, especially that one - is not done right.

 

[dragnlaw]

Also - using a raw liquor like that was mainly for the show effect and slight smokey flavour to the cheese. In fine restaurants Brandy, Cognac or Rum is used. big difference, eh?

 

[medtran49]

We make saganaki on occasion using halloumi cheese and ouzo. I let it flame until it burns out. I don't use that much ouzo so it doesn't take long. Actually, I marinate the cheese in the ouzo for several hours before I flame, then use the same ouzo to flambe.

ETA, I just looked at the technique I use. As above, I let it marinate, then take the cheese out, dredge in mix of salt, pepper, flour, sauté in some olive oil until cheese is golden brown and just starting to get melty, then pour the ouzo marinade into the pan and flame.

Maybe they used mezcal?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I would assume, in a Mexican restaurant, they would use an inexpensive tequila. If you are doing it your own self, unless you accidently set the kitchen curtains on fire, just let it burn. When it runs out of alcohol it goes out by itself.

 

[Texmex]

The following is copied from an internet search. I think it explains it perfectly.

What is the point of flambé?

Flambé is the French word for “flamed” or “flaming. Liquor is poured over food and ignited, leaving behind the subtle flavor of the liquor or liqueur without the lingering flavor of alcohol. The technique is used for its caramelization flavor as well as its exciting tableside flair. Aug 11, 2021
MasterClass.com

Hope this helps - the server was very wrong to leave the liquor unburnt. And you know a lot! Whether or not you've made it at home. I think you've had it enough times to know when a technique, especially that one - is not done right.

Thank you! You know I didn't know if the caramelization was coming from the liquor or not but it has to put a little on there. I guess I need to find a good server and ask for him next time so I don't have the same thing happen. The first place I ever had that was a place that closed down that used to be nearby for 40 years and they used iron kind of boat shaped shallow pans and that really did a nice job on the sides of the cheese if they left it in long enough. They're the ones that told me that use the rock that alcohol on top but it still tasted good if it was burnt off.

 

[Texmex]

Also - using a raw liquor like that was mainly for the show effect and slight smokey flavour to the cheese. In fine restaurants Brandy, Cognac or Rum is used. big difference, eh?

And I'm not sure what type was used at that place which is a little better restaurant than the one that used the raw liquor. In Texas it seems like people used tequila for everything. But it probably wasn't tequila or I would have gotten loud mouthed and obnoxious just on the small portion I tried.

 

[medtran49]

Guess I'm invisible.

 

[dragnlaw]

No, you're not. I couldn't remember the name and 'lo and behold!' medtran exercised her wisdom with mezcal!

 

[GinnyPNW]

Guess I'm invisible.

Nope, I see you. Don't know the answer, but you're still here!

 

[GotGarlic]

We make saganaki on occasion using halloumi cheese and ouzo. I let it flame until it burns out. I don't use that much ouzo so it doesn't take long. Actually, I marinate the cheese in the ouzo for several hours before I flame, then use the same ouzo to flambe.

ETA, I just looked at the technique I use. As above, I let it marinate, then take the cheese out, dredge in mix of salt, pepper, flour, sauté in some olive oil until cheese is golden brown and just starting to get melty, then pour the ouzo marinade into the pan and flame.

Maybe they used mezcal?

Except for the marinating, this is the technique we use for saganaki. As you and SLoB said, you don't need much and it will go out on its own once the alcohol has burned off.

 

[medtran49]

Except for the marinating, this is the technique we use for saganaki. As you and SLoB said, you don't need much and it will go out on its own once the alcohol has burned off.

Some of the ouzo works its way into the cheese and adds a "warm" flavor, the best I can describe.

 

[Texmex]

Guess I'm invisible.

Sorry. I am still getting used to navigation on this site.

I think I just caught up with other responses. Thanks so much for the insights!

 

[taxlady]

We make saganaki on occasion using halloumi cheese and ouzo. I let it flame until it burns out. I don't use that much ouzo so it doesn't take long. Actually, I marinate the cheese in the ouzo for several hours before I flame, then use the same ouzo to flambe.

ETA, I just looked at the technique I use. As above, I let it marinate, then take the cheese out, dredge in mix of salt, pepper, flour, sauté in some olive oil until cheese is golden brown and just starting to get melty, then pour the ouzo marinade into the pan and flame.

Maybe they used mezcal?

Mmm, that sounds good. Do you mind sharing your recipe? I have some halloumi and I have no objection to putting ouzo on the shopping list.

 

[medtran49]

Mmm, that sounds good. Do you mind sharing your recipe? I have some halloumi and I have no objection to putting ouzo on the shopping list.

It's real simple. Halloumi or Kasseri (sp?) sliced about 1 inch thick. Enough ouzo to come about half way up. Marinate for at least 4 hours up to 8, turning about half way through. Remove cheese from ouzo, dredge in seasoned flour. Heat some olive oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the cheese slices flat, sautee until light golden brown, flip, sautee for a couple more minutes, add the ouzo, light and allow flames to burn down. Pita or pita chips to serve.

Be VERY AWARE that ouzo flames up pretty high so make sure you have plenty of clearance.

 

[taxlady]

Thanks @medtran49 I have saved it to CMT.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Guess I'm invisible.

Did anybody hear something?

 

[medtran49]

I was going to ask if OP liked queso fundido, which I love with poblanos and onions, sometimes with chorizo, and was looking for a recipe similar to the one I use. While I was looking, I saw this link.

Queso flameado

I know that somewhere in my head there are eloquent words to describe my love of queso flameado, but right now I’m just too tuckered out from work to find them. Yes, I am very

www.homesicktexan.com

Which is for queso flamefo, which is queso fundido set on fire. It is mentioned that the restaurant the blogger worked in used Everclear, which is grain alcohol. That will definitely give you a flambe!

 

[dragnlaw]

medtran, never heard of this dish until now with this thread. Then you add poblanos, onions and chorizo into the mix and I am dying.

So, please, please show an ignorant northerner how to make this... please???

 

[Texmex]

I was going to ask if OP liked queso fundido, which I love with poblanos and onions, sometimes with chorizo, and was looking for a recipe similar to the one I use. While I was looking, I saw this link.

Queso flameado

I know that somewhere in my head there are eloquent words to describe my love of queso flameado, but right now I’m just too tuckered out from work to find them. Yes, I am very

www.homesicktexan.com

Which is for queso flamefo, which is queso fundido set on fire. It is mentioned that the restaurant the blogger worked in used Everclear, which is grain alcohol. That will definitely give you a flambe!

I have seen in case of fundido on some menus but not recently. I ordered it one time at a real Mexican restaurant where I had a language barrier and when they brought it out it was a cup of hard unmelted Monterey Jack cheese or some other white cheese and they had no idea I guess what to do with it and I couldn't even tell anyone about it because everyone pretended nothing was wrong.

So I guess that experience made me think twice before ordering fundido again. Not everyone flambees that same mixture but they melted I guess under a broiler or something and I'm honestly not tried that but it's probably fine. The places I get it they call it by what's in it so they call it hongos con queso for the one with vegetables and poblanos. And then they call the chorizo one something else. But the first couple of places I had it did call it queso flameado and it did not have much in it except cheese and rot gut. But it was good. It's hard to mess up melted cheese and yet I've had it happen to me twice.


If I had the proper pan for it and better insurance, I would be tempted to try it at home. Because I would char and peel the poblanos first and get a good brown on the mushrooms and I think mine would taste better. I think you could use one of those iron steak pans that has the wood casing around it if you didn't burn yourself trying to move it out of the oven and back onto the wood.