Chef notes
The signature dish at Matt's El Rancho in Austin, Texas, named after former Texas land commissioner Bob Armstrong, who one day asked them to make him "something different." What resulted was a now-legendary layered dip of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. Important: Don't used aged or extra-sharp cheddar, which is drier and doesn't melt smoothly.
Technique tip: Picadillo and queso can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before assembling.
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 large white onion, chopped
- 2 large jalapeños, stemmed (and seeded for mild) and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- kosher salt
- 3 large ripe Hass avocados, peeled and seeded
- 1/4 large white onion, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeños, stemmed (and seeded for mild), finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef chuck (20% fat)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large poblano chile, chopped
- 3 jalapeños, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- sea salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk, or more
- 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 pound young medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- sour cream, chopped chives, chopped cilantro and corn chips (for serving)
Preparation
For the pico de gallo:
Gently toss tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro and lime juice in a small bowl; season with salt. Let sit, uncovered, to let flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
For the guacamole:
Smash avocados with a potato masher or fork in a medium bowl or with a molcajete (a Mexican mortar and pestle) until very coarsely mashed. Mix in onion, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, salt and cilantro. Taste and add more lime juice, if desired.
For the picadillo:
Heat oil in a large skillet over high. Cook beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned on all sides but not completely cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.
Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, bell pepper and garlic, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add cumin and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the skillet, until liquid is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and let sit until ready to use.
For the queso:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, chile, jalapeños and garlic, stirring, until tender but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, season with salt and continue to cook until juices have evaporated, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and continue to cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, gradually add both cheeses, and cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is completely melted and queso is smooth. If it seems too thick, stir in a little more milk.
To assemble:
Spread warm picadillo in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour hot queso over meat. Top with a generous scoop each of pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. Sprinkle with chives and cilantro. Serve hot dip with chips.
