Best Cheese Volcano Recipes

CHEESE VOLCANO

Steps:

• For the volcano: Use a round plastic crudite platter for the base of your volcano and cut a small hole in it large enough for the hose of a fluid transfer pump to go through. Snake the depositing end of the pump hose through the hole in the platter. Invert a bundt pan over the platter, snaking the hose up through the hole in the bundt. Cut a hole in the center of the tomato half, then insert the tomato cut-side up in the top of the hole in the bundt pan, pulling the hose up through the hole in the tomato and pushing down a bit on the tomato to snugly plug up the hole in the bundt pan with the tube inside.
• "Paint" or "spackle" the sides of the bundt pan with the cheese, using an offset spatula or rubber gloves. Then layer the chips on top of each other around the bundt, starting flat but angling as you go up, sticking them to the cheese. This creates a volcano look.
• For the decorations: Arrange your accoutrements however you like. I put a lot of diced tomatoes and beans around the top to make it look like a caldera. I also liked incorporating cilantro stems and broccoli florets at the base of the volcano, as they look like trees.
• For the cheese sauce: Turn a large slow cooker to low while you prepare the sauce on the stove.
• In a pot, combine the sodium citrate and 3 1/2 cups water over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the cheese in handfuls, whisking until incorporated before adding the next handful. Once all the cheese is incorporated and melty, add the sriracha and use an immersion blender to blend to a uniform consistency.
• Transfer the mixture to the preheated slow cooker. Place the receiving tube of the pump into the cheese sauce and slowly and carefully pump to create "lava." Note: The cheese sauce might splash, so use with caution and put in a safe location.

BEEF AND CHEESE VOLCANO

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a heavy skillet, heat oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch until the oil shimmers. Fry the tortillas, 1 at a time, until crisp and light brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. (The tostadas can be fried up to 2 days ahead. Cool, then store in a cupboard in a sealed plastic bag.) 2. Prepare the salsa and guacamole, if using homemade. Then, pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the tortilla-frying oil in the skillet, and heat until hot. Fry the steaks about 4 minutes per side or until browned on the outside and still pink and juicy inside, for medium-rare, or adjust time for desired doneness. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and a bit of pepper. Remove to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. 3. In the same skillet, cook the onion, stirring, until limp but not soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining salt. Reserve in the pan. Cut the steaks into bite size pieces. Toss with the onion. 4. Place the crisp tortillas on a large baking sheet. Mound the steak and onion equally in the center of each tortilla, and put 1/4 of the cheese on top of each mound. Put in preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a large wide spatula, transfer each tostada to the center of each of 4 large serving plates. Surround the tostadas with a few snipped sprigs of cilantro or parsley. Put a tiny bit of red salsa on the top of each tostada. Serve at once, accompanied by condiment bowls of salsa and guacamole to be added at the table.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.