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Nachos

It bothers me that the sour cream fell off center.


I realize that nachos are maybe the sort of thing that doesn't require a recipe, but it's taken me 40 years to finally make the perfect (for me) nachos, and I want to save the details.

The keys:
1) Homemade refried black beans. They are so much better than the canned kind, and maybe even more importantly, they don't explode in the microwave like the canned ones do. I don't know why this is, but it makes the effort worthwhile.

2) Fresh chips. I don't deep-fry things at home, and my oven-fried tortilla chips have never turned out well. But one day, we accidentally ended up with a large bag of extra chips from Mucho Gusto takeout. The next day, I turned them into nachos, and they were a revelation. This is going to be our tradition every time we get Mexican takeout now.

 3) Pico de gallo. I used to do a drizzle of green salsa, plus diced tomatoes, but it wasn't quite right. I've replaced these two items with some simple pico, and I'm convinced that this is the way to go.


The Recipe (adjust quantities to your liking):
fresh tortilla chips
shredded cheese (I like Tillamook's Mexican blend)
refried black beans
pico de gallo (combine chopped tomato, onion, corn, jalapenos, cilantro, lime, and salt to taste)
lettuce, shredded
sour cream

  • Place chips on plate
  • Top with cheese and refried beans
  • Microwave for 1:30
  • Top with pico, lettuce, and sour cream

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A
Overall reason: Fresh. Lots of contrasting flavors and textures.
Time to prepare: 5 minutes if you have the beans and pico already made. 
Husband quote: "REALLY good."

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