Super Bowl Noshing: Shrimp Nachos

The Super Bowl is around the corner and game day party food should be feisty, spicy and fun. While we wouldn't label these nachos healthy per se (as any right-minded nacho shouldn't), we will certainly deem them bright and fresh. Spicy wild shrimp, chunky avocado salsa, sharp spring onions and a shower of fresh herbs all sourced from the farmers market, add a lighter spin to the traditional heavy nacho plate loaded down with meat. No worries: a generous layering of melty cheese and fiery chiles add all the gooey finger food and mouth scorching requisites to secure a place for these nachos at your Super Bowl party table.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

Shrimp:


  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 small garlic clove, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined

Avocado Salsa:

  • 2 ripe but firm avocados, diced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Dash of hot sauce

Nachos:

  • 8 ounces tortilla chips

  • 4 cups coarsely grated melty cheese, such as Cowgirl Creamery Wagon Wheel

  • 3 to 4 green spring onions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced

  • 2 to 3 red or green jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded, chopped (for extra heat, do not remove all of the seeds)
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 large vine-ripened tomato, cored and seeded, diced

  • 1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the shrimp in one layer. Cook until pink and just barely cooked through, turning once, about 2 minutes. (It’s ok if the shrimp are a little under-done. They will continue to cook in the oven). Remove from the pan and drain on plates lined with paper towels.
  2. Combine the avocado, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a small bowl and gently stir to combine.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread half of the tortilla chips in a large rimmed baking pan. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, half of the white spring onions, half of the jalapeños, and half of the red onion over the chips. Top with remaining chips, 1 1/2 cups cheese, the remaining white spring onions, jalapeños, and red onion.
  4. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the nachos are hot, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn on the broiler. Arrange the shrimp over the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over the shrimp. Broil to melt the top cheese, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Drop spoonfuls of the avocado salsa over the nachos, then sprinkle the  tomato, the green spring onions, and cilantro evenly over the top. Serve immediately.