Here is a great appetizer we had at our house the other day at son Brian’s request. From the first time I made this a few years ago, he has never let me forget it. Loves them. A mere mention of nachos and he’s begging for these. I got the idea from a Williams-Sonoma recipe I got when I bought their grill pan. I love the grill pan (shown in the pictures) for many things, but it’s the most fun, with a great presentation fresh off the grill with these nachos. You can doctor them up any way you like and of course you can use chicken or other types of meat or no meat at all. This is the way Brian insists on having them though and I do see his point every time I make them. Perfect summer appetizer for three a crowd!
Steak Fajita Nachos on the Grill! (recipe at end of post)
So… the next day we had some steak left over and it didn’t take long for Brian to make his way into the kitchen itching to create a new appetizer. A steak and guacamole appetizer he proposed. I let him go with it and I must say, it was totally out of this world. He simply toasted French baguette slices, rubbed them with garlic and proceeded to top each piece with slices of steak, crushed red pepper, salt and shredded cheese. He popped them back into the oven to melt the cheese and when melted, he topped it all off with his homemade quacamole. Listen to me… Oh-My-Word-Delicious!
Brian’s Fajita Steak and Cheese Crostini with Guacamole!
Steak Fajita Nachos on the Grill
(adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchens)
Ingredients:
For the steak:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 lb. skirt or flank steak
Salt, to taste
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 Tbs. olive oil
Salt, to taste
1 1/2 bags (each 14 oz.) tortilla chips
3/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 lb. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1/2 cup pickled or tamed jalapeño slices
2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
Guacamole for serving
Salsa for serving
Sour cream for serving
Directions:
To prepare the steak, in a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, onion, garlic, vinegar, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Season the steak with salt and place in a sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and seal the bag. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Preheat the center burners of a gas grill on low and the outer burners on medium-high for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, stir together the onion, bell pepper, olive oil and salt. Transfer to a mesh fry basket and set over the hottest part of the grill. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and pepper are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Remove the steak from the marinade and shake off the excess. Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch strips.
To assemble the nachos, place a single layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of a grill tray. Sprinkle one-fourth of the cheddar cheese and then one-fourth of the Monterey jack cheese on top. Place several spoonfuls of refried beans on the cheese. Sprinkle one-fourth each of the steak, pepper-onion mixture and jalapeño slices on top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to create 3 more layers, making each layer slightly narrower than the previous one so the nachos resemble a pyramid-shaped mound.
Place the grill tray over the center burners on the grill, close the lid and cook for about 7 minutes. Turn off the center burners, keeping the outer burners on medium-high, and continue cooking, covered, until the top layers of cheese are bubbly and the bottom layers are evenly melted, about 3 minutes more.
Remove the tray from the grill and top the nachos with cilantro. Serve immediately with guacamole, salsa and sour cream on the side. Serves 10 to 12.