Steak nachos are fine product of cattle country

Posted Aug. 6, 2012

There are some people who follow the old adage about what to eat when you are traveling: You don’t order beef when you’re on the coasts, and you don’t order seafood when you’re in the heart of cattle country.

Well, I was in cattle country last week — in western Nebraska — for a youth baseball tournament. One of the places we went to eat was a place called Steel Grill Restaurant and Bar in Gering. Of course, its specialty was steak, and the one I had — a rib-eye — was perhaps the best ever to cross my palate.

But a bunch of us also shared some delicious steak nachos, which we received for free with a coupon on the tournament program. The nachos were loaded with jalapenos and served with sides of sour cream and salsa.

The experience had me scouring the Internet when I returned home to find a recipe that we might try. And here’s what I found.

Steak Nachos

8 ounces skirt or flank steak

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Jack cheese

1/2 cup bottled salsa verde

4 ounces tortilla chips

1/2 14- to 16-ounce can pinto beans

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

1 red onion, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Chopped fresh cilantro or scallions (optional)

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet. Season the steak with the chili powder, salt and pepper and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until medium-rare. Let the steak rest.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then slowly whisk in the stock. Simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the cheese and salsa and continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted.

Chop the steak into small pieces. Arrange the chips in a single layer on a large cookie sheet or baking pan. Top evenly with the beans and steak, then drizzle on three-quarters of the cheese sauce. Top with the jalapeno and onion. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted. Top with the remaining cheese sauce, tomatoes, and cilantro if using.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 360 calories, 14 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 610 milligrams sodium.

Tiedeman is the food editor at the Grand Forks Herald and blogs at chefjeff.areavoices.com

Tags: life, food