I don’t know if it’s this constantly changing weather or what, but I have been exhausted this entire week. I have been in bed by 8:30 or 9, which is extremely odd, and have been getting at least 10 hours of sleep a night. The upside is that my Sleep Cycle app (I seriously cannot live without this and don’t know how other people function without it) says my sleep quality has been 100% for the past 4 days, so at least all of this going to bed early has been beneficial. I haven’t been making anything gourmet for dinner – one night it was pizza, another night I had chicken salad sandwiches, and another, these chili con carne nachos – with leftover chili con carne from my freezer.
I’ll warn you now that the chili con carne can get pretty spicy – it really all depends on the spiciness of the chiles you are using. But if you serve it with lots of sour cream and guacamole and cheese, it really tones it down. We’re still using chilis here, though, so if you’re not a fan of spicy foods, this may not be the recipe for you. For spice lovers, this is something that you’ll come back to again and again. It’s perfect on it’s own, but on top of tortilla chips and smothered with cheese and cilantro, it’s out of this world.
Ingredients
- 5 dried New Mexico chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 1/2 lbs chuck roast, cubed
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp shortening
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 2 chipotles, plus 2 Tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 cups beef or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup reserved liquid from chiles (you'll get this after you soften the chiles)
- 2 Tbsp masa
- For the nachos:
- Tortilla chips
- Cheddar and/or monterrey jack, shredded
- Jalapenos, sliced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Guacamole, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Begin by placing the dried chiles in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the top and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let steep for at least 15 minutes. When the chiles are soft, remove them and place in a food processor. Add 1-2 Tbsp of the liquid at a time and pulse until the chiles have formed a thick paste. Reserve the steeping liquid.
- Season all sides of the chuck roast liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a large dutch oven over high heat and melt the shortening. Once it is hot, add the chuck roast (in batches) and sear on all sides (you do not need to cook it all the way through). Remove the beef and repeat with any remaining meat.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic, oregano, and cinnamon, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, just about a minute or two - being careful not to let the garlic burn (you may need to turn down the heat). Add the chipotles and adobo sauce, stir to combine then add the seared meat back in. Add the stock and the reserved liquid from the chiles. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 2-3 hours, cover partially with a lid (only leave about a sliver uncovered) and stir occasionally. Once the meat is tender, add in the masa and stir to thicken. You can use it immediately, but it thickens up even more if you cool down and place in the fridge overnight then re-heat.
- For the nachos, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a sheet pan or baking dish, place a layer of the chips down. Cover with cheese and jalapenos and some of the chili con carne. Repeat with another layer of chips, cheese, jalapenos, and even more chili con carne. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the chili con carne is hot. Top with cilantro, guacamole, and sour cream. Serve immediately.
- Adapted from Epicurious
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