Soft pretzels with queso poblano sauce and mustard sauce

Method

Soft pretzels with queso poblano sauce and mustard sauce

For the queso poblano sauce:
1) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened.

2) Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, poblano chillies and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3) Place the queso sauce into a bowl and sprinkle with the chopped coriander leaves.

For the mustard sauce:
1) Whisk together the mustards and honey, to taste, until combined. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

For the pretzels:
1) Line two half sheet pans with greaseproof paper and spray liberally with vegetable spray. Combine the water, sugar, yeast and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Allow the dough to sit for 5 minutes.

2) Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add some additional flour, 1 tbsp at a time.

3) Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Oil a bowl with some vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or cling film and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

4) Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the bicarbonate of soda.

5) Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a flat surface. Divide into eight equal pieces, about 130g to 140g each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 55cm and shape: take the right side and cross over to the left. Cross right to left again and flip up.

6) Boil the pretzels in the water solution, two at a time, for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula.

7) Place four pretzels on each baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

8) Remove the pretzels to a baking rack and allow to rest for 5 minutes before eating. Serve with the sauces for dipping as desired.