Recipe: Zach Berger's Nachos

Yields 4 servings/Time 30 mins

This take on nachos is from local chef and supporter, Zach Berger. While nachos are a Mexican dish, Zach has introduced other regional flavors by adding a Korean BBQ-inspired sauce and topping the whole thing with pickled fiddleheads, which are found right here in the Hudson Valley. Zach even uses Honey Chili and Szechuan Doritos imported from Korea as the tortilla chip in this dish. You don’t have to have every ingredient listed or follow this recipe to the letter - the idea here is to use your imagination next time you have a go at making this well-loved comfort food. Find Zach on Instagram @food_master_flex.

You will need:

For the Korean-Style BBQ Sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon minced ginger

5 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons Gojuchang

1 cup apple sauce

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or sub cornstarch)

For the Corn Salsa

12 oz corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

2 jalapeños, to taste

1 lime

For the Nachos

2 packages of thin-cut beef short ribs (about 2 lbs.)

½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 package Honey Chili and Szechuan Doritos (or regular tortilla chips)

1 red onion, sliced

2 limes

2 peppers, sliced

Pickled fiddleheads (optional)

Pickled Thai chili

Watermelon radish, sliced thin

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon cumin

Tajin, to taste

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Korean BBQ-inspired sauce

• Make arrowroot powder slurry. Combine 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan except the arrowroot slurry. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat, simmer for 20 minutes.  Add arrowroot slurry.

• Cook until the sauce thickens, coating the back of a spoon.

Corn salsa

• Roast corn. If out of season, use frozen or canned corn and roast at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden crunchy. If fresh, cut corn off cob and roast in oven in the same manner. You can also toast kernels in a cast iron skillet with salt, pepper, and oil.

• Pan-roast jalapeños over medium-high heat. Place whole peppers dry in a pan, turn every 5 minutes or until charred on each side. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam for 15 minutes.

• Remove jalepeños from bowl and peel skin off. This should happen fairly easily. Scrape as much of the skin off as you can- don’t worry about leaving some of the charred skin on, that will add flavor! Cut the stems off the peppers, cut in half, and de-seed. Chop or slice flesh of jalapeños.

• Add jalepeños to bowl with corn kernels, salt, pepper, and lime, toss to combine.

Korean-Style Short Ribs

• Season with Tajin, sprinkling evenly over ribs

• Heat pan stovetop on medium-high heat until nice and hot.

• Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and sear the ribs on each side for about 5 minutes (meat will finish fully in the oven so don't overcook). Remove from heat and allow to rest 10 minutes. 

• Cut short ribs into strips off the bone.

Nachos 

• Preheat oven to broil.

• Place chips on an oven-safe tray with foil. Sauté onions and peppers on medium heat with salt, pepper, cumin, and the squeeze of half a lime. Cook until tender.

• Slice watermelon radishes into thin strips/

• Shred cheese and sprinkle about two-thirds over chips. Save the rest to top at the end.

• Layer ribs on top of chips and add the rest of your cheese. Broil in the oven until cheese melts but chips do not burn.

• Remove nachos from the oven and add pickled vegetables, corn salsa, and watermelon radish. Top with Korean-style BBQ sauce.