Who could have wondered there would be a National Nachos Day. Nacho dishes can be frequently found on the menu in places such as parties, sports bars, and theaters. You can get a nacho dish in any part of the world from Chicago to New York, and even Saudi Arabia.
Table of Contents
What are Nachos?
It is a cuisine consisting of tortilla chips with shredded cheese or cheese sauce. This Texas Mexican cuisine is adorned additionally with a variety of toppings such as chopped meat and veggies. Even though this dish can be made as a simple appetizer or snack, it can be amp up into a hearty entrée.
Origin of Nachos dish
In 1943, located on the northeastern Mexican-United States border was a restaurant, Moderno (Victory Club) in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. The restaurant’s Mexican born waiter Ignacio Anaya Garcia (August 15, 1895-November 9, 1974) was said to be inventor for crafting this dish. The dish was made for four women who were enjoying each other’s company while drinking. They just happen to be the wives of United States soldiers venturing over from the city Eagle Pass in Texas. According to a newspaper article in Express and News, published Sunday June 15, 1969, in San Antonio, Texas. Ignacio expressed “no one was in the kitchen for about an hour, I went in, sliced a tortilla in four pieces, put some cheese and a slice of jalapeno on top and stuck it in the oven for a few minutes.” When asked the name of the dish by the ladies, “Nacho’s Especial” is what Ignacio uttered.
Ignacio dish has an enormous popularity across the globe. He is recognized worldwide as inventor of the nachos dish. Yet, he has never profited from its popularity by patenting the dish. He continued working as a waiter at Moderno to support his wife and nine children. A profession described by him to be an honorable one in Mexico. He departed from it in 1961.
Cheese Choice
Select cheeses that are meltable with a mild taste. If you’re experimenting with a sharp cheese combine it with a milder cheese. Stay away from hard cheeses due to them being more difficult to melt. Harder cheese often tend to have a sharper overpowering taste. Example of cheese not suitable for nachos are blue, feta, parmesan, and pecorino. Cheeses great to use on their lonesome or in combinations are American yellow, cheddar, Colby jack, pepper jack, and Monetary jack. Sliced cheese can be used. Pre-shredded cheese are not the best options since it’s more likely to clump. Plus there is an anti-caking agent making it not so easily meltable.
Thick vs Thin
You can’t get any better than warm fresh chips. Making fresh fried tortilla chips is usually always the way to go. But when on-the-go or plain ole rather skip the hassle, store bought is the next best option. Now if you’re looking to turn this dish into an entrée go with a thick tortilla chip. Selecting thicker chips will be much sturdier under the weight of toppings.
Topping Varieties
There are different types of meat you can prepare to use on nachos such as
- Chicken (grilled and diced, ground, shredded)
- Beef (ground, grill and sliced)
- Pork (shredded)
- Shrimp (ceviche, grilled)
Veggie Toppings
Add on top off meat or perhaps just stick to only veggies.
- Diced tomatoes
- Grilled tofu
- Roasted corn
- Shredded lettuce (iceberg, romaine)
- Hot peppers (cherry, jalapenos, serrano)
- Onions (red, sweet, yellow)
- Sliced olives
- Sweet peppers (green, red)
Condiment Garnishes
- Guacamole
- salsa (Pico de Gallo)
- sour cream
- hot sauce
Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 cup Colby & Monterey jack cheese (8 oz) (it’s a blend)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
- 12 oz evaporated milk (1 can)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Pica de Gallo Style Salsa
- 2 Tbsp lime juice (approximate 1 whole lime)
- ⅓ cup cilantro leaves
- 14.5 oz no salt added petite diced tomatoes (1 can)
- ½ cup onions, small diced (approx.1/2 medium size onion)
- 1 Tbsp jalapeno pepper, small diced (½ of pepper; add whole pepper to raise the heat level)
- ¼ cup red sweet pepper, small diced (approx. ¼ of pepper)
- ½ tsp coarse kosher salt
Instructions
Tortillas
- Lay blue corn tortillas chips out in your preferred dish.
Cheese sauce
- Using a grater, shred block Colby & Monterey jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheeses in a medium bowl.
- Add cornstarch to shredded cheese coating it evenly.
- In a saucepan, add evaporated milk, place on medium heat and allow liquid to warm for about 1 minutes.
- Then add cheese ¼ portion at a time stirring thoroughly after each addition. Continue to stir for 8 minutes as sauce will thicken. Place in your preferred warm dish and serve.
Salsa
- Set medium bowl aside as you will add ingredients after prepping each of them.
- Prep by straining canned tomatoes, small dice the jalapeno pepper, sweet pepper, and onions. Pull cilantro leaves off of stems then rough chop leave.
- Add sea salt, then squeeze lime juice into bowl with rest of ingredients. (Note: You can use a small container to squeeze the lime juice into this way it easier to remove any seeds).
- Fold ingredients into itself making sure all is coated in the juices. Set in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to let those fresh veggies marinate in those juices.
- Remove from refrigerator, place in your preferred chilled dish, and serve.
Notes
Purchase
I purchased Late July Snacks Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips from Whole Foods Market. It was a 10 oz bag for around $4. There was more than one brand but went with this gluten free labeled option. You can opt for a bag of blue corn chips such as Garden of Eatin Organic Salted Blue Corn Chips, Green Mountain Gringo Blue Corn Strips Tortilla Chips, and Masienda Blue Corn Chips. They come in various sizes and price , 8-ounce to 12-ounce packages will be around $4 – $6.
Buying store bought pica de Gallo (salsa) is really quick and easy when in a rush. A 10 ounce to 16-ounce container will range from $4-$6. It’s always worth it to take the time to make your own. You can adjust the ingredients to your own palate. Perhaps you may want to go lighter on the lime juice and heavier on the diced jalapeno. Beside dicing the fresh pepper and cilantro you have to just add the other ingredients and squeeze your lime right in. Often time you can find onions, peppers, and tomatoes already diced and portioned in small containers. There are often located in the produced section in local supermarkets.
Purchase a thick slice cut from your local deli, take it home and shred it yourself. That way you can get the precise amount needed. Or there are some stores such as Walmart that sell cheese in 8 ounce and 1-pound blocks. You can grab store bought nacho cheese sauce. Pricing will vary depending on the cheese type.
Evaporated milk has a lengthy shelf life. That is due to over 55% of water content evaporated during processing. Always double check that you are not picking up condense milk. There often right next to each other in the baking aisle of the supermarket. Evaporated milk is an unsweetened, free flowing verses condensed milk being a sweet, thick liquid. You can purchase a 12 ounce can for about $2 at most local grocery stores.
How are you celebrating National Nacho Day? Perhaps check out your local market for the ingredients to make your own homemade nachos. Checking out places in the local area that has nachos on the menu. Why miss the goodness of cheese flavors that will keep you licking your lips.