Build A Better Nacho

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After my last two blogs I decided it was time to lighten it up a bit, and what better topic than Nachos!
 
If you’ve seen my kitchen you already know I like to cook. Now nachos are a free form kind of snack, with a very high refrigerator/pantry velcro quality (meaning you can use whatever you have on hand). However three things are required: a nacho or some other kind of chip, cheese, and some meat product. Now if you’re one of those PETA fruitcakes who doesn’t eat meat, get overyourself okay, a carrot is probably pretty upset when you yank it out of the ground to eat with your tofu, so don’t whine to me about ethical treatment. Anyways you can use any kind of meat but most commonly ground beef is used.
 
Your standard nacho deployment has two problems. First off the base for our construction, the nacho chip. Let’s be honest here, most nachos don’t bring that much taste to the party. All your really hoping for is a wide chip to shovel the fixings onto and something rigid enough that it won’t bend, wilt or break. To solve this problem you need to think outside of the Nacho world, think Fritos corn chips. Now Fritos bring a lot of taste, and are certainly rigid, but lacking in the wide scooping department. Enter the Frito variant the Frito scoop. These slightly bowl shaped chips have all the flavor and rigidity of your standard Frito but allow you to scoop up quite a bit more.
 
The second problem in your average nacho execution is more of a case of operator inexperience. Most people put the Nachos in a tray or bowl, throw on the meat sprinkle on the cheese heat until bubbly and call it day. Hello McFly! As one of my cooking idols, Emeril Lagasse says “Lets Kick it up a Notch“. You need to think layers. Get a 1 1/2 quart Pyrex dish. spread just enough Frito scoops to cover the bottom. Sprinkle on the meat, cheese, salsa, or whatever other toppings suit your fancy. Now it’s time for a second layer of Fritos. Don’t go hogwild here, just enough to cover the lower layer. Cover the chips with the remaining toppings of your choice. Now it’s time for the oven. Your looking for the cheese to melt on both layers, usually about 10 minutes will do it. Now this bad boy can stand up to the toughest, hungriest Super Bowl Party you can throw its way.

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