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Thread: Nachos, Baby!

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    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    Nachos, Baby!

    The Most Adventurous Nachos, From Caprese to Chicken and Waffles

    These are nacho average nachos.



    Caprese nachos (left) and chicken + waffle “nachos.” Photographer: Penny De Los Santos
    By Kate Krader (Businessweek)

    February 2, 2022, 8:41 PM GMT+7

    When do nachos cease to be nachos?

    Almost never, according to Dan Whalen, a cookbook author and expert on the subject. All you need are chips—or an ingredient that acts like chips—and just a single layer of melted cheese or some other sort of gooey topping. “When I was a poor college student,” he says, “I would put chips on a plate and top them with refried beans, and that’s nachos.” Whalen only draws the line at sauces, because the chips need an ingredient with heft to hold them together. Hot sauce on chips? “Not nachos,” he says firmly.

    Whalen’s new book, Nachos for Dinner: Surprising Sheet Pan Meals the Whole Family Will Love (Workman, $23), answers almost every conceivable question about the game-day staple. The main focus is on how nachos can make the transition from snack to main dish, and the answer is balance—which is achieved by ensuring several food groups are represented.

    Street corn nachos (left) and pretzel bratchos.
    Photographer: Penny De Los Santos

    Whalen is inspired by classic dishes. In a chapter called “Hearty Comfort in Nacho Form,” there’s a recipe for pretzel bratchos, which feature pretzel nuggets topped with bratwurst, cheese sauce, and sauerkraut. Another chapter contains chicken and waffle nachos; both of the signature components act as a replacement for the chips. (Whalen makes clear that just because nachos can be turned into a dinner doesn’t make them a healthy meal.) Other recipes draw a clearer line to the classic nosh, such as one that spotlights the pleasures of grilled Mexican elote—charred kernels, crema, and cotija cheese.

    Lamb gyro nachos (left) and plantain nachos.
    Photographer: Penny De Los Santos

    During the pandemic, Whalen learned that leftovers can inspire some good nacho combos. His Instagram stories feature a running series, Microwave Nachos of the Day, in which key components are pulled out of a previous meal. Chinese beef takeout and mushroom tacos topped with crispy, spicy cucumber salad as a pico de gallo alternative was one recent success.

    “It’s a good moment for nachos, because they’re fun and we all need a little more fun,” Whalen says. He points out that they’re also very customizable or easily made vegan, extra meaty, or spicy, depending on the crowd.

    He plans to serve them for his Super Bowl gathering this year: “Basically, you want to make sure a snack comes out every quarter. Nachos get the halftime spotlight.” Still, even Whalen knows when enough is enough—he’s serving only one kind of nachos. He’s decided on a version topped with Mexican braised lamb “beerbacoa,” his take on the standard burrito and taco filling, that’s “nacho-fied” for the big game.

    Cheesesteak nachos (left) and Cobb salad nachos.
    Photographer: Penny De Los Santos


    Street Corn Nachos

    To make this corn-on-corn dish, broil 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels mixed with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in ¼ cup crema. Spread a 12-ounce bag of tortilla chips on a sheet pan, top with 1¼ cups shredded cheddar and ¼ cup crumbled cotija, then the corn mixture, then another 1¼ cups shredded cheddar and ¼ cup cotija. Broil until the cheddar melts, 3-5 minutes. Top with smoked paprika, cilantro, and more crema; serve with lime wedges.

    Caprese Nachos

    For this neat version of the classic salad, spread a 12-ounce bag of tortilla chips on a sheet pan. Top with 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella, 2 cups roughly chopped ripe tomatoes, and ½ cup grated pecorino. Broil until the cheeses have melted, about 3 minutes. Top with basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

    But who needs chips?

    The key to a nacho plate that doesn’t involve tortilla chips is keeping the toppings classic, Whalen notes. Follow this three-step formula to experiment as much as you wish. After all, he says, “Nachos are just a state of mind, man.”

    The base
    Fill a half-sheet pan with one of the following options, cooked:

    • Tater tots
    • French fries
    • Gnocchi
    • Mozzarella sticks
    • Egg rolls
    • Chicken nuggets
    • Pizza rolls
    • Spanakopitas
    • Bagel bites

    Keep the toppings classic if you’re experimenting with a non-chip nacho recipe, says Whalen.

    The toppings
    • 2 cups shredded cheese (a mix of cheddar and Jack is traditional, but you can switch it up)
    • 1 cup taco meat (or carne asada in the case of the fries)
    • ½ cup pickled jalapeño slices
    Broil until the cheese melts and the “chips” start to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

    The garnish
    • Pico de gallo
    • Guacamole
    • Crema or sour cream Try it yourself with the recipe below.
    Chicken + Waffle Nachos

    On a sheet pan, arrange 20 halved, cooked waffles that have been left in the waffle iron for an extra minute so they’re crispy. Top with 25 ounces cooked, breaded chicken nuggets, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded Jack cheese, and ½ cup pickled jalapeño slices. Bake in a 500F oven until heated through and the cheese melts. Top with ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup hot sauce, and sliced scallions.


    Last edited by tomcat; 05-02-2022 at 06:02 AM.
    Majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    ”After all, he says, “Nachos are just a state of mind, man.”
    yeah, nah.

  3. #3
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    He was good mates with cheech n chong?

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