World's Best Nachos Paired with Wine and Beer
/It was a leisurely Sunday night off of work, and I was very hungry after my
class. I began to judge what I was in the mood for, and homemade nachos sounded great. I have to explain: I have been making nachos at home for a long time, adding to the recipe every time. They have come to be known as "Kitchen Sink" Nachos. Then I started to think of what beverages I wanted to pair with them, and the plan was hatched. Now let us get to the recipe.
Here is what you are going to need:
1/2 lb. ground beef, 1/2 lb. ground pork, 1/2 diced white onion, 4 cloves chopped garlic, chopped cilantro, 3 sliced serrano peppers, 1 diced tomato, 4 chopped scallions, 1 cup sliced black olives, 1/2 can refried black beans, 1 sliced avocado, 4 oz. cream cheese, 8 oz. package shredded mexican cheese, 2 oz. sour cream, 1 lime, your favorite salsa (I use
), your favorite hot sauce (I use
), and your favorite tortilla chips (I love Chicago local
).
Next, take your onions, garlic, and 2 peppers, along with some olive oil, and pan sear them in a frying pan. Then, throw in your beef and pork- you want to use pork because the meat gives the mixture much more flavor. Season it with chili and cayenne powder, and finish off with half a squeezed lime and some of the cilantro. Then drain the liquids from the pan.
Prep a baking pan with a layer of chips topped with refried beans, cream cheese, and half of your mexican cheese. Then top it with the meat mixture and the rest of the cheese. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Farenheit, and throw in the nachos for 15 minutes. Then top it with avocado, olives, tomato, scallions, olives, sour cream, salsa, the rest of the peppers and cilantro, more squeezed lime, and hot sauce. Strap on the feedbag and eat!
Now for choosing a beverage. Beer works great, but make sure you use a lager or ale. They are light enough to be refreshing, and not overtake the chips. I chose
. It has a medium weight, good bitterness, and a nice fruit-sweet finish. Excellent for the nacho spice. Wine is a great companion for this as well, but make sure you go with a weighty white. Varietals with a touch of sweet fruit like riesling, pinot gris, or chenin blanc work well. The 2007 Hogue Genesis Riesling was on sale, so I went for it. The full lime citrus, honey, and vanilla also worked well with the nacho spice. These beverages washed the nachos down perfectly- before you knew it, I was on the couch Al Bundy style getting ready for the season finale of HBO's
.
These beverages work well with all mexican food. Try out the recipe and post your comments!