Chef notes
This dish will steal the show at halftime. It's easy to prepare, so much fun to plate and can feed a giant crowd while keeping cleanup to minimum — just crumple up the parchment and toss!
Technique tip: Sear the thinly shaved rib-eye hard and fast; do not overcook it.
Swap option: You can substitute grilled chicken, chorizo or ground beef for steak.
Special equipment: Parchment paper.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon your favorite hot sauce
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 ounces pepper jack cheese, freshly grated
- 2 ounces blue cheese, freshly crumbled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound rib-eye steak, shaved
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- granulated garlic, to taste
- 1 (12-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 2 large bags good quality, super hearty tortilla chips
- 1 recipe Easy Cheese Sauce (recipe above)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 green onions, sliced thinly
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup hot giardiniera
Preparation
For the easy cheese sauce:
1.Set a medium saucepan to low heat. Add in evaporated milk, Dijon and hot sauce, and whisk together until uniform and smooth.
2.Toss the cheeses and cornstarch together in a bowl until totally combined.
3.Whisk the cheese into the milk mixture and heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is silky and smooth.
For the nachos:
1.Heat a nonstick pan to medium high heat. Add oil.
2."Fluff" and separate the shaved rib-eye and season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Place in pan in an even layer. Sear meat undisturbed for 2 minutes, until caramelized. Flip and sear the other side until just cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Take off heat and chop meat into small pieces.
3.Lower heat to medium and add beans, cumin and chile powder. Sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes.
4.On a table, lay out a bunch of long sheets of parchment to cover the table completely.
5.Working in at least 2 layers, lay one even layer of chips across the parchment. Sprinkle the steak and beans over the chips, then ladle some of the warm cheese sauce over the top. Repeat with another layer of chips, steak, beans and cheese sauce. Then top with a bunch of tablespoon-sized dollops of sour cream, green onions, tomatoes and cilantro. Finally, top with the giardiniera and enjoy.
