Ann Maloney
THE WASHINGTON POST – Who doesn’t love a good mash-up? Done right, it can turn disparate things into something deliciously different for the ears – or the taste buds.
That’s what we have with this Breakfast Nachos recipe from Nachos for Dinner by Dan Whalen, a man who garnered a following by playing with ingredients since starting his blog The Food in My Beard in 2008. Whalen’s latest cookbook jacket touts his popular quesadilla bun burger video, which has 47 million views on Facebook and is basically a big, flat burger sandwiched between two melty quesadillas and cut into wedges.
Like that dish, this one is simple. It’s so basic that I was on the fence about sharing it in this column. Then I made it, watched folks devour it and knew it was a winner.
Besides, I’m a firm believer in breakfast for dinner, and an advocate of snacky suppers, too. A scrambled egg with cheddar and salsa scooped into a tortilla has been my evening meal more times than I can count. On weeknights, my husband and I have been known to cobble together a dinner from odds and ends in our pantry and refrigerator.
That’s how the original nachos were born. Whalen shares the dish’s origin story: Restaurant maitre d’ Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Anaya first made the snack for a group of United States (US) Army wives in 1943 in Piedras Negras, Mexico, using foods he had on hand: chips, cheese and jalapeños.
BREAKFAST NACHOS
35 minutes
Six to eight servings
Love breakfast for dinner? This dish may be right up your alley. Soft, creamy eggs and crema are spooned on top of cheesy, meaty chips that have been crisped in the broiler. Add your favourite toppings and dig in.
INGREDIENTS
– Two tablespoons unsalted butter
– Six large eggs
– Quarter teaspoon ground cumin
– Quarter cup crema or sour cream
– 12 ounces tortilla chips
– One cup shredded pepper jack cheese
– Six ounces cooked sausage, thinly sliced
– Five slices beef rashers, cooked and crumbled
– One-and-a-half cups shredded cheddar cheese
– One cup salsa, for serving
– Chipotle sauce, for serving
– Sliced scallions, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Position the rack four to five inches from the broiler and turn it on.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Break the eggs into a large bowl, add the cumin and whisk until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan and cook, stirring constantly and lowering the heat as needed, until the eggs just start to set and you get soft curds. Remove from the heat, stir in the crema or sour cream and cover.
On a large, rimmed baking sheet, evenly arrange the tortilla chips, overlapping as little as possible. Top the chips with the pepper jack, sausage and beef rashers, followed by the cheddar. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and broil for about three minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chips are starting to brown. Watch carefully to make sure they do not burn.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, as evenly as possible, top the nachos with the scrambled eggs. Spoon the salsa, additional crema or sour cream and/or chipotle sauce on top and sprinkle with the scallions, if using. Or serve the toppings on the side.
Nutrition information per serving (about 12 chips plus toppings, using salsa), based on eight | Calories: 520; Total Fat: 34g; Saturated Fat: 14g; Cholesterol: 216mg; Sodium: 909mg; Carbohydrates: 32g; Dietary Fibre: 4g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 12g
