3 to 4plump tomatoesroughly chopped (seeds discarded)
1large onionpeeled and roughly chopped
Instructions
Make the cheese sauce
In a sauce pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour to make a roux.
Cook the roux for about two minutes then drizzle in the milk while stirring.
Cook until the mixture is thickened then turn off the heat.
Stir in the shredded cheese until melted.
Taste and add salt, if needed.
Keep the cheese sauce warm.
Cook the spicy beef
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a heavy skillet, spread the ground beef and cook without disturbing until the undersides are starting to brown.
Stir the beef to break up clumps, add the garlic, chipotle powder, half a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of sugar, and continue cooking until fat has been rendered and the meat is well browned.
Squeeze in lime juice (start with a teaspoonful), taste and add more salt and lime juice, if needed, to get a good flavor balance.
Finish the dish
Spread the corn tortilla chips on a baking tray and pop into the oven for five to seven minutes.
Take the tortilla chips out of the oven and spread a third on a plate or shallow bowl.
Drop in dollops of cheese sauce using a teaspoon.
Sprinkle in a third of the beef, a third of the tomatoes, a third of the onion and a third of the jalapeños.
Repeat the layering until all the ingredients are on the plate (you may have excess cheese sauce though but you can keep that in the fridge for a couple of days).
Serve your spicy beef nachos with cheese sauce immediately.