Swiss Chard Nachos with Carrot Pico

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Seasons:

December, November, October, September, May, April, March, February, January

Courtesy of Chef Louis Singh, Dish a Licious

Sometimes, you just want nachos. That's what happens when you grow up in Texas. In San Antonio, where I'm from, it's harder to find nachos missing on a restaurant menu than included on one. I can remember having nachos in an Italian restaurant once, for goodness sake. It's just a testament to their comforting power—crunchy chips, melted cheese—what's not to love? The problem is that the Tex-Mex variety gets old. Greasy cheese, refried beans, fajita meat—it's been overdone. Nachos need an update. Here's a recipe born from late nights in the Dish kitchen and inspired by fresh, seasonal produce.

For nice thick chips, we love Blanco Valley Farms chips at Barton Creek Farmers Market or Tamale Place chips at Cedar Park Farms to Market—both fried in coconut oil.

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Super easy

Ingredients

For 4 Person(s)

For the pico

1/2 cups diced carrot
1/4 cups diced red onion
1/4 cups diced radish
1/4 cups seeded and diced jalapeño
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 Salt and pepper, to taste

For the nachos

1/2 bunch(es) Swiss chard
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tortilla chips—nice thick ones
1 cup(s) grated or crumbled cheese, or a mix of cheeses (We use queso fresco and fresh chèvre)

Swiss Chard Nachos with Carrot Pico Directions

For the pico: Mix all of the ingredients together, and let it sit for 10 minutes. The salt will start to coax out some of the veggie juices, which will mix with the lime juice and create delicious flavors. Give it a good stir before using to mix well.
Preheat the oven to 425°.
For the nachos: Prep the chard first. Wash and dry the leaves well and trim off the stems but don’t discard them—there’s a lot of flavor in those. Cut the leaves in half lengthwise, stack them up, then turn them and cut across the leaves into a julienne, or fine strip, about ¼-inch wide. Chop the stems very finely.
Toss the leaf strips and the chopped stems in a little olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Spread out the tortilla chips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese on the chips to cover. Pop them into the hot oven for about 5 to 6 minutes, until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble.
Working quickly, sprinkle the chard leaves and the chopped stems in an even layer across the nachos. Place back in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chard has just wilted. Take them out, top with the Carrot Pico and devour. It’s great with guacamole and salsa, of course.
Always feel free to play with your food. Use kale instead of chard, or top with fresh, thinly sliced chilies or candied jalapeños. Add pulled pork, chicken or bacon.