Nacho Bar Recipe

Make house tortilla chips

Cut corn tortillas into quarters (8 pieces per tortilla) and pat dry. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or deep fryer to 180°C (350°F). Fry batches of tortilla pieces until golden and crisp, about 1–2 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and immediately toss with kosher salt. Keep warm and crisp in a single layer on a tray.

Prepare queso

Grate or roughly chop cheeses so they melt evenly. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter then whisk in flour and cook 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in whole milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chopped jalapeño, cumin, and black pepper. Add cheeses in batches, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning. Keep warm on lowest heat, stirring occasionally to prevent skinning.

Make guacamole

In a bowl, mash avocados to desired consistency. Stir in red onion, cilantro, lime juice, minced serrano/jalapeño if using, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust lime and salt. Cover tightly with plastic touching surface or store in airtight container to limit browning until service.

Assemble pico

Combine diced tomatoes, white onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt in a bowl. Let rest 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning before serving.

Roast poblano peppers

Char poblano peppers over a gas flame, under a broiler, or on a hot cast-iron skillet until skin blacks and blisters on all sides, about 8–10 minutes, turning. Transfer to a bowl and cover for 10 minutes to steam. Peel off skins, remove stems and seeds, then dice into ½-inch pieces.

Cook corn

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Stir in diced roasted poblano, smoked paprika and salt. Cook 1 more minute to combine flavors. Keep warm.

Make tomatillo crema

Roast or boil tomatillos until soft (5–8 minutes) then drain. In a blender or food processor, combine cooked tomatillos, sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lime. Chill until service.

Make adobo crema

Whisk together sour cream, chipotle in adobo, lime juice, honey and salt until homogeneous. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Set up the nacho bar: arrange warm chips in a large shallow tray or in individual portions. Place queso in a warmed serving pot or saucepan and keep on low heat or in a warm bath. Put guacamole, pico de gallo, roasted corn & poblano mix, tomatillo crema, adobo crema, shredded lettuce, crumbled cotija and scallions in separate bowls with serving spoons. Offer lime wedges.

To serve, spoon warm queso over chips as desired, then add dollops of guacamole, pico de gallo and roasted corn & poblano. Drizzle tomatillo crema and adobo crema to taste. Finish with shredded lettuce, cotija, scallions and a squeeze of lime. Encourage guests to build their own nachos to taste.