Black Bean Nachos with Red Chile Beef

Name: Black Bean Nachos with Red Chile Beef
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 9 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups chicken broth; 1 ⁄ 8 tsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted; 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1 small bay leaf; Salt, to taste; 1 tbsp. olive oil; 1 lb. skirt steak, finely chopped; 1 ⁄ 4 lb. Mexican chorizo, casing removed, finely crumbled; 2 slices bacon; 1 ⁄ 2 lb. dried black beans, picked through and rinsed; 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped; 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded; 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo; 2 tbsp. peanut oil, plus more for frying; 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus 16 sprigs; 2 tsp. fresh lime juice; 1 tsp. walnut oil; 2 avocados, peeled and cubed; 1 serrano chile, finely chopped; 16 (6") corn tortillas, each cut into 4 long triangles; 2 cups grated monterey jack cheese; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups crème fraîche; 1 ⁄ 2 cup crumbled cotija cheese; 4-7 jalapeños, thinly sliced

Serves
serves 8

FARIDEH SADEGHIN

Ingredients

9 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken broth
¹⁄₈ tsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 small bay leaf
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. skirt steak, finely chopped
¹⁄₄ lb. Mexican chorizo, casing removed, finely crumbled
2 slices bacon
¹⁄₂ lb. dried black beans, picked through and rinsed
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo
2 tbsp. peanut oil, plus more for frying
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus 16 sprigs
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. walnut oil
2 avocados, peeled and cubed
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
16 (6") corn tortillas, each cut into 4 long triangles
2 cups grated monterey jack cheese
1 ¹⁄₃ cups crème fraîche
¹⁄₂ cup crumbled cotija cheese
4-7 jalapeños, thinly sliced

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This recipe came from a Houston institution, Cafe Annie, which helped put Southwestern cuisine on the map.

Ingredients

9 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken broth
¹⁄₈ tsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 small bay leaf
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. skirt steak, finely chopped
¹⁄₄ lb. Mexican chorizo, casing removed, finely crumbled
2 slices bacon
¹⁄₂ lb. dried black beans, picked through and rinsed
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo
2 tbsp. peanut oil, plus more for frying
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus 16 sprigs
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. walnut oil
2 avocados, peeled and cubed
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
16 (6") corn tortillas, each cut into 4 long triangles
2 cups grated monterey jack cheese
1 ¹⁄₃ cups crème fraîche
¹⁄₂ cup crumbled cotija cheese
4-7 jalapeños, thinly sliced

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Instructions

Step 1

Toast guajillo chiles on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 5 minutes. Soak in warm water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain. Purée chiles, broth, cumin, 2 cloves garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown steak and chorizo in 2 batches, about 5 minutes each. Drain. Return to skillet with purée; simmer on medium-low until thick, about 15 minutes. Chill.

Step 2

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until just crisp, 6–7 minutes. Transfer to a pot; reserve fat. Add remaining garlic, black beans, half the tomatoes and onions, ancho and chipotle chiles, and 5 cups water; bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered, until soft, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Let cool. Purée beans. Heat 2 tbsp. peanut oil and reserved bacon fat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry bean purée until thick, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt.

Step 3

Mix remaining onions, remaining tomatoes, chopped cilantro, lime juice, walnut oil, avocados, serrano chiles, and salt to make an avocado relish. Pour peanut oil into a pot to a depth of 2"; heat to 350° on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry tortillas until crisp, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt.

Step 4

Preheat broiler. Heat beef and beans. Divide chips between baking sheets; top each chip with beans, beef, and monterey jack; broil briefly to melt. Top each nacho with avocado relish, crème fraîche, cotija, jalapeño, and cilantro sprigs.