The Ultimate Nachos
I only recently became a nacho-maker at home when some of my friends requested nachos on a trip to Palm Springs. It seems self-evident: you just put a bunch of tortilla chips on a tray, add some beans, some cheese, maybe some salsa, and you call it a day. But this version has lots of bells and whistles, starting with quick-pickled chilies, radishes, and red onion. The black beans are cooked with coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and a little habanero for heat. And everything is topped with two kinds of cheese: extra-sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. You’ll never make nachos the same way again.
Ingredients:
For the pickles:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (plus more if necessary)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 red onion, sliced, not too thinly
3 to 4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 to 2 Fresno (red) chiles, thinly sliced into rings (jalapenos will do in a pinch)
For the black beans:
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 habanero, seeded, minced (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, leaves reserved, stems thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
For assembly:
2 12-ounce bags Tostitos (or your other favorite tortilla chip)
1 8-ounce bag shredded extra-sharp cheddar
1 8-ounce bag shredded Monterey Jack
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Start by making the pickles. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar, water, sugar, and kosher salt. Dip your finger and taste: it should be punchy but not painfully acidic. Adjust according to your taste, then add the onion, the radishes, and the chilies. Makes sure everything is submerged (you may need to put a little plate on top to push everything down). Set aside while you work on the rest.
3. In a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds and the cumin seeds on medium heat just until fragrant (be careful not to burn). Pour into a bowl and allow to cool; then grind, coarsely, in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat for a minute, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, habanero, and cilantro stems. Add a pinch of salt and lower the heat enough so it’s still sizzling, but not cooking so fast that the garlic might burn. Keep cooking, stirring every so often, until the onion is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and crank up the heat a little so the tomatoes are bubbling. Stir in the black beans and add a cup of water, plus another pinch of salt. Cook on medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every so often, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and you can leave a trail with a wooden spoon through the beans. Set aside to cool slightly.
6. Spray a 9 X 13 cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Open the first bag of tortilla chips and lay most of the chips in one layer (it may take the whole bag). Dollop on half of the black bean mixture in various spots, and then sprinkle on half of the cheddar and half of the Monterey Jack. Layer on another big layer of tortilla chips (it’ll probably require the second bag), and repeat again with the remaining black beans and the cheese. Bake in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
7. To finish, dollop on the sour cream (or, if you have a squeeze bottle, thin it out with a little water and squiggle it on), add your pickled onions, radishes, and chilies, the olives, if using, and, finally, your reserved cilantro leaves. Serve right away.