Recipe: Nachos

There really isn’t a “recipe” for Nachos…. Today they are tortilla chips with just about whatever you want in Tex-Mex cuisine on top of them…. as the popularity of Nachos has spread so has the inventiveness of the toppings… which … in my opinion … is as it should be… cuisine should constantly evolve… after all… nothing ventured … nothing gained.

For a bit of history about the Nacho….. according to Wikipedia…

“Nachos originated in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is just over the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, at a restaurant called Victory Club, owned by Rodolfo De Los Santos.”

As the story goes, some wives of the soldiers from Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass were shopping in Piedras Negras and arrived at the restaurant after it had closed. The maitre 'd, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya invented a snack for them with what he had available in the kitchen…. tortillas and cheese that were quickly heated and then added sliced jalapeno peppers.

Nachos quickly caught on throughout Texas. A modified version of the dish was marketed by a man named Frank Liberto beginning in 1977 during a sports event at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas. During a Monday night game, sportscaster Howard Cosell made a point of mentioning the dish in his broadcasts over the following weeks… and well… the rest is history.

Ignacio Anaya died in 1975. In his honor, a bronze plaque was erected in Piedras Negras and October 21 was declared the International Day of the Nacho. Anaya’s son, Ignacio Jr. serves as a judge at the annual nacho competition.

Well… nachos have come a long way since that first day of tortillas with melted cheese and sliced jalapeno peppers. The following recipe is just a version of nachos… something to get you started … they’re great as an appetizer or snack… while watching the big game or maybe a munch for family game night… however and whenever you serve it ….
It’s always a hit.

TIPS

Using thicker tortilla chips works best since the toppings tend to be heavy and thinner chips can get mushy.

I love to use fresh salsa… but that tends to be quite watery… if using fresh salsa… use a slotted spoon to let some of the water drain off before putting it on the nachos.

Use a heavy ceramic platter that’s oven proof for the best results… this way you can serve the nachos on the platter…








Recipe: Nachos

All you need:

Tortilla chips
Refried beans (canned or homemade)
Cheddar cheese, finely grated
Salsa
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sliced black olives
Green onions, chopped
Guacamole
Sour cream
Chopped fresh tomatoes (optional)
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Additional meat toppings you may want to consider:

Ground beef cooked with taco seasoning
Chicken seasoned and cooked with seasoning

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On an oven proof platter or baking dish, place several layers of tortilla chips.

Drop small spoonfuls of refried beans over the chips.

Drop small spoonfuls of (drained) salsa over the beans.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle with sliced jalapeno peppers and sliced olives.

Sprinkle with green onions.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a dollop of guacamole.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh tomatoes (optional).

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.