Real Deal Nachos – Recipe!

Nachos are one of my favorite foods and when I was in my twenties, I used to eat them at least once at week.  Nachos can be made several ways – traditionally they are individually layered with beans, cheeses and jalapenos, as opposed to those huge heaping platters of tortillas, cheese, guacamole and sour cream that you see in bars and clubs.  After reading a recent article in Saveur Magazine, I learned of the actual history of nachos. Nachos were created by a maitre d’ named Ignacio Anaya, nickname “Nacho” for a group of U.S. Army wives who came into the Victory Club in Mexico, after the kitchen had already been closed.  Mr. Anaya threw together a quick snack to satisfy these women and when they asked what the dish was called, he said “Nacho’s especiales.”

I was so intrigued by this article and to learn where nachos actually came from, that I thought, why not share a similar recipe with you.  The ingredients are almost the same as Mr. Anaya’s recipe, except I used Manchego and Smoked Gouda cheeses, instead of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese because that’s what I had on hand.  I hope you make a platter of nachos and enjoy knowing where this recipe actually came from.

Ingredients

10 corn tortillas, cut in half

1 1/4 cups black refried beans

1 medium shallot, minced

1 cup Manchego cheese

1 cup Smoked Gouda cheese

20 pickled jalapeno slices

vegetable oil

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1.  Preheat the broiler and set the rack 8 inches below the heating element.  Cover a sheet pan with foil. Shred the cheeses and slice the tortillas in half.

2.  In a skillet, add 1-inch of oil and heat to 350 degrees.  Place 4 tortilla halves in the skillet and fry them, about 30 seconds a side.  Remove crispy, but not brown and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Repeat this step and cook all the tortillas.

3.  Place the fried tortillas on the foil lined sheet pan and spread each chip with a layer of beans.  Then, sprinkle the chips with half the shallots.

4.  Top the chips with the cheeses, jalapenos and the rest of the shallots.

5.  Place the nachos under the broiler to cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheeses are lightly bubbly.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove from the oven and place on a serving plate and eat immediately.  Enjoy!