Today we take on—nachos! My literary agent and friend, Sabrina, shows me how to make her best nachos. Then we turn the tables and I make her my Jackfruit Nachos with Charred Poblano Queso.
Jackfruit Nachos with Charred Poblano Queso
Persons
6
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the Jackfruit
- 4 (14 ounce) cans jackfruit
- 3 Guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 3 Ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 1 cup orange juice (about 3 large oranges)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons Vegemite
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small bunch cilantro, tough ends removed
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Pico de Gallo
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped white onion
- ¼ serrano pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the Radish Slaw
- 4 radishes, cut into matchsticks
- ½ yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch match sticks
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about the juice of one lime)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the Poblano Queso
- 4 medium poblano peppers
- ½ cup cream
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 ounces white American cheese
- 8 ounces Colby Jack, shredded
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Whole milk, as needed
Instructions
For the Jackfruit
- Remove seeds and seed pods from jackfruit and discard. Shred remaining jackfruit and place in a thin tea towel. Squeeze out any excess moisture and set aside.
- Place chilies on a microwave safe plate and microwave in 20 seconds increments until chilies are fragrant, pliable and toasted. Add to a high powered blender, along with orange juice, soy sauce, Vegemite, garlic, cilantro, coriander and cumin. Blend until a smooth puree is formed, about 1 minute.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Once oil is shimmering, add jackfruit in an even layer and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip jackfruit and crisp the second side for another 2-3 minutes. Add puree and mix well. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring often, until jackfruit is well coated and puree is reduced, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
For the Pico de Gallo
- In a small mixing bowl, add all ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to assemble.
For the Radish Slaw
- In a small mixing bowl, add all ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to assemble.
For the Queso
- Using either a gas burner or the broiler setting on your oven, char outside of poblanos until mostly black, turning often, about 7 minutes in total. Place charred peppers in a medium mixing bowl and cover, allowing to steam for 5 minutes. Once steamed and the skins have loosened a bit, using your hands carefully remove the charred exterior, as well as the stems, and transfer peppers to a medium sauce pot.
- Set the pot over medium high heat and add cream, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly, allowing the mixture to lightly boil, reducing the cream. Stir often, cooking for 10 minutes, or until the cream has reduced by half and the garlic has softened.
- Transfer mixture to a high powered blender and add cilantro. Blend for 1 minute, or until fully pureed and smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
- In the same medium pot, add oil over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add jalapeño and onion and cook until golden brown, 6-7 minutes. Add reserved poblano cream and reduce heat to low.
- Add a handful of shredded cheese at a time, whisking continuously, until cheese is fully melted. Repeat until all cheese is incorporated. Whisk in garlic powder. If queso is too thick, slowly whisk in a few tablespoons of whole milk at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Cover and assemble as soon as possible.
For Assembly
- On a large sheet tray, place tortilla chips in a single layer, overlapping as little as possible. Pour cheese sauce all over the chips, top with jackfruit, then pico de gallo and radish slaw. Serve immediately.
© 2023 Eitan Bernath Productions, LLC.
