Tender
grilled beef, sweet peppers, spicy chiles—all loaded with smoky southwestern
flavor, and a side of the easiest cheese nachos platter you’ll ever prepare.
I cooked
both the beef and the vegetables on the grill—steak directly on the rack and
the veggies in a cast-iron skillet. Once the steak is rested and sliced, toss
it into the skillet with the peppers and give everything a quick stir-fry to
finish.
You can
also prepare everything indoors. Simply sear the steak in the skillet, then
remove it and cook the vegetables in the same skillet—great flavor either way.
Skip the
store-bought bag of tortilla chips and make your own easy nachos with nothing
but corn tortillas and shredded cheese. (And sliced jalapenos for a little
kick.) You don’t need to create a cheese sauce—just let the cheddar melt on top
of the baking tortillas and you’re done.
I used
ranchero sauce to bring the beef and peppers together. Once you’ve made your
own, you’ll want to make it again and again. It’s simple to prepare and you can
save any leftovers to top grilled chicken or pork chops, or even drizzle over
baked potatoes. That said, you can also use your favorite bottled sauce in this
recipe, if you choose.
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
- 2 garlic
cloves, crushed and peeled
- 1 tbsp olive
oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp
ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp
dried red chile flakes
- 3/4 lb flank
steak, about 3/4-inch thick
- sea salt
- freshly
ground black pepper
- 1 small
red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 small yellow
bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 large
poblano chile, cut into 1-inch strips
- 4
scallions, coarsely chopped
- 1 recipe
ranchero sauce (or other hot sauce), warmed
- 8 5-1/2-inch
corn tortillas, each cut into 8 wedges
- 1-1/2 cups
finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 large
jalapeno, very thinly sliced crosswise (seeds removed, if desired)
- cooked
white rice, for serving (optional)
 |
| Flank Steak |
 |
Peppers and Scallions
|
 |
| Prepared Vegetables |
 |
| Ready to Grill |
 |
| Tortilla Slices |
Preparation
- Combine
the garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and chile flakes in
a heavy, sealable plastic bag. Add the steak, seal, and turn several times to
coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (May be made a day ahead.)
- Light a
grill for direct-heat cooking. Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a large
baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove
the steak from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Season with salt and
pepper and grill until lightly charred on the
outside and still pink inside, 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer
to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice the steak very thinly across
the grain.
 |
| Steak in Marinade |
 |
| Steak Beginning to Grill |
 |
| Grilled Steak |
 |
| Thinly Slice the Steaks |
- Place a
cast-iron skillet on the grill and heat 5 minutes. Brush with oil and add the
bell peppers, poblano chile, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper and cook,
stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, 5-6 minutes.
- Add the
sliced steak to the skillet and add 3/4 cup of the ranchero sauce (reserve
remainder). Cook 2 minutes.
 |
| Vegetables Beginning to Grill |
 |
| Grilled Vegetables |
 |
| Steak and Sauce Added |
- Meanwhile,
spread the tortilla wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 4-5 minutes, until beginning to crisp.
- Use a
large spatula to turn the tortillas over and push them toward the middle of the pan to
form a low stack. Scatter the cheese evenly over them.
- Bake until the cheese
has melted, 3-4 minutes. Use the spatula to slide the nachos onto a platter.
Scatter the jalapeno slices on top.
 |
| Tortillas Ready to Bake |
 |
| Push Toward the Middle of the Pan |
 |
| Ready to Bake |
To serve, divide the rice (if using) among 4-5 plates and
divide the steak mixture on top. Place the remaining ranchero sauce in a bowl
to pass at the table. Serve with the cheese nacho platter.
 |
| Southwestern Grilled Steak and Peppers with Easy Cheese Nachos |
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