As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm in the process of working my way through my family's cookbook. One of the contributors was my neighbor and babysitter, Edie. In addition to teaching me how to make a mean gin and tonic, as well as the basics of ceramic sculpture, Edie also took it upon herself to ensure that I had a strong education in the essentials of gourmet cookery. Among other things, this meant keeping a jar full of dried mushrooms in the kitchen, as she felt that it signaled to all visitors "that one was a true gourmet."

This title of this recipe might lead one to believe that it's some sort of meat and cheese mix; in reality, it lands somewhere between a quiche and a quick bread. The original recipe used mild chiles and cream cheese, but I found that increasing the heat and reducing the fat made it even tastier. I've seen other versions of this dish on the internet, but none of them are as light and delicate as this one. It's a snap to make, and keeps beautifully in the refrigerator.

For the chiles, I used La Morena escabeche-style jalapenos, but almost any kind will work.




Edie's Chili Cheese Cubes
Makes nine servings

8 eggs
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces neufchatel cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
7 ounce can of pickled jalapeño chiles, drained, seeded, and chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the eggs and mix well. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Fold in the Monterey Jack, cottage cheese, and the chiles. Turn into a 9x9x2 dish and bake for forty minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for ten minutes. Cut into small squares and serve hot.