The Culinary Connoisseur
Nosh on Nachos
04
Nov
Nov
Nachos originated in Mexico, of course, just over the
border from Texas. In 1943, the wives of U.S. soldiers stationed
at Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass were in Mexico on a shopping
trip, and arrived at a restaurant after it had already closed for the day.
The manager, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, invented a new snack for
them with a few ingredients he had available in the
kitchen: tortillas and cheese. He cut the tortillas into triangles,
fried them, added shredded cheddar cheese, quickly heated them, added sliced
pickled jalapeño peppers, and served them.
When asked what the dish was called, he answered,
“Nacho’s especiales”. As word of the dish traveled, the
apostrophe was lost, and Nacho’s “specials” became “special
nachos.”
Anaya went on to open his own restaurant, “Nacho’s
Restaurant”, and his original recipe was printed in a 1954 cookbook.
The popularity of the dish swiftly spread throughout
Texas and the Southwest before being introduced to Los Angeles diners in a Mexican
restaurant in 1959. In the 1970’s sports stadiums began selling it as a snack
food during ball games and its popularity took off. Nowadays there are so many
versions using cheese or meat or added vegetables like tomatoes, black beans or
avocado. You can make yours from scratch with wraps or tortillas or take the
quick and easy route by using ready-made tortilla chips.
1 tablespoon canola
oil
1 whole yellow onion,
diced
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon crushed
red pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher
salt
1 15 oz can kidney beans
or baked beans
1 cup water
Tortilla Chips—one large
bag
Non-dairy shredded
“cheese” if desired
For the Pico de Gallo:
6 plum tomatoes, finely
diced
1 jalapeno, seeded or
not, diced fine
1/2 bunch cilantro or
parsley leaves, checked and chopped
juice Of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher
salt
1 avocado, pitted and
cubed
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat; add
half the onion. Cook it until starting to soften, then add the ground beef.
Cook the meat until it’s totally browned, and then drain the fat. Add the spices
and salt and stir to combine. Add the beans and water and stir. Reduce the heat
to low and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
To make the pico de gallo, combine the other half of the onion with the tomato, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and salt. Stir it together and set it aside.
To build the nachos, place a layer of tortilla chips in an oven-to-tableware dish. Top with a layer of the beef mixture, then add another layer of chips, continue layering the chips and beef. Sprinkle some non-dairy cheese in between the layers if you are using it. Heat the broiler and place the dish in to broil for a few minutes to melt to “cheese”.
To make the pico de gallo, combine the other half of the onion with the tomato, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and salt. Stir it together and set it aside.
To build the nachos, place a layer of tortilla chips in an oven-to-tableware dish. Top with a layer of the beef mixture, then add another layer of chips, continue layering the chips and beef. Sprinkle some non-dairy cheese in between the layers if you are using it. Heat the broiler and place the dish in to broil for a few minutes to melt to “cheese”.
Sprinkle on the diced avocado and plenty of pico de
gallo. Serve immediately.
Canola oil cooking
spray
6 ounces baked
tortilla chips
1 can (15 ounces)
black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper,
diced
1/2 cup frozen corn,
thawed
1/4 teaspoon ground
cumin
1/4 cup sliced black
olives
3 pickled hot peppers,
sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded
mozzarella cheese
4 large plum tomatoes
(about 12 ounces), chopped
1/2 cup chopped red
onion
1/4 cup cilantro or
parsley, checked and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lime
juice
1/2 avocado, diced
Heat oven to 425
degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil
and coat with cooking spray; spread chips evenly on sheet. In a bowl,
combine beans, pepper, corn and cumin; spoon over chips. Top with olives,
jalapeños and cheese; bake until cheese melts, 5 to 6 minutes.
While it’s baking,
prepare the salsa. Combine tomato, onion, cilantro or parsley and juice; gently
mix in avocado. Serve nachos topped with salsa.
Enjoy!