I just want you to know as I’m writing this, I’m eating these nachos. They are THAT good. Please excuse the crumbs.
There’s no need for saffron in this casual dish. The achiote oil lends a great Latin flavor to these Florida-style nachos.
Ingredients
1 roasting chicken
1/8 cup sea salt (for the poaching liquid) plus 1 tsp sea salt
2 29oz cans of black beans
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 TB apple cider vinegar
1 oz achiote (annatto) from the ethnic foods aisle in the grocery store
1 oz vegetable oil
2 cups Jasmine rice
3 cups low-fat Mexican shredded cheese
2 medium tomatoes, diced
15 pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
drizzle of olive oil (optional)
one big bag of tortilla chips
Method
Fill a large pot with water and add the 1/8 cup sea salt. Turn up to high. Add whole chicken, giblets removed. When it comes to a boil, lower to simmer and poach chicken one hour. Remove to a cutting board to cool.
While the chicken is poaching, add vegetable oil and achiote to a two-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat until the oil is an orange color. Remove from the heat and strain the oil into a container to be used later.
Wipe out the saucepan that contained the achiote. Add 2 tsp of achiote oil you made and the remaining 1 tsp sea salt along with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the rice, reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
In a large pot, add black beans, oregano, cumin, garlic powder and apple cider vinegar with 1 1/2 cups water. Allow to simmer and reduce over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is gone. Smash with a potato masher. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9×13 inch glass dish with cooking spray. Add the rice on the bottom of the dish, then spread the black beans on top with an offset spatula or knife. Shred the chicken (avoiding skin and bones), cut into small pieces and add on top. Add the cheese on top and bake for 12 minutes, or until cheese is melty.
When you remove from the oven, place diced tomatoes and sliced olives on top. Serve with tortilla chips for scooping.
