Sunday, February 15, 2015

Dinner: Gem Nachos


“Can you write the recipe down for the nachos?” The bottle of Southern Comfort asked seductively. “Tell me I’m pretty” I whispered back.
“It was me - stop talking to the liquor!” My wife interjected into what was possibly going to turn into a long and meaningful conversation. “And stop narrating everything” she added.
“Fine, but I’m going to do it half assed.” I responded, making my point succinctly by pointing at the unfinished dishes I had left earlier having become bored with the process.
“Good. The status quo is preserved.” She concluded without looking up.
Is this what married life is for everyone else I wondered while walking downstairs? “Stop fucking narrating!”, was her echoing thought that followed me.
Recipe. Such a stupid word. I wonder where it comes from? Latin it turns out! You know if I didn’t have google and a healthy supply of ethanol I might have to start looking at the world, and my place in it, objectively. But I do have them both so fuck that. Glug glug.
Before cooking anything you need to get in the right frame of mind and think hard about the creative process (thinking involves Southern Comfort sometimes). I like cheese and adding it things so it was a natural progression to move onto Potato Gem Nachos. I assume. If I was prepared to think about that further I would be reminded that I saw a picture on The Chive that sort of looked like potato gems with cheese and stuff and thought that plagiarising that shit would be awesome.
Start with the potato gems. I recommend the brand on special. Get them on a tray into the oven for 20 minutes or so. The point is you want the outside crisp, but the inside soft, so don’t overcook them.
Make some guacamole – chop some avocado and smash down a little with a fork. Mix it with finely chopped red onion, a little lemon juice and some salt and pepper. The measurements depend on what it tastes like. It’s not going to cook, so if it tastes good now that’s how it’s going to taste later. Make it taste good now.
Chop some tomato. You want it relatively small, probably quarter the size of the gems is good. If you really think it is necessary you can peel and deseed them but that would mean I need to make fun of you. This isn’t cooked either, so make sure the tomatoes don’t taste like nameless wildlife with urinary tract infections have left their marks on them – I’m looking at you Coles.
Bacon! Get it, chop it, fry it. Squares about the size of the tomato cubes.
When the gems are cooked, pile them up on some kind of ovenproof dish pyramid style. Then sprinkle with cheese you should have grated already. If you haven’t grated any cheese you really need to read the full recipe first. Life’s Lesson #8 – you’re welcome.
The cheese is REALLY important. I use Coon because it has a great taste but equally, no MORE importantly it was also on special at the time. Use whatever you like - it really isn’t as important as I made out in that first sentence.
Once the gems are doused with cheese (don’t be scared, hit it hard) scatter the bacon on as well. Then put it back in the oven for a bit. Imagine a congealed mass; an unholy amalgamation of cheese bacon and potato gem, bound together against the wishes of God and the universe! At least that is what I imagine, maybe just wait until the cheese is melted if you lack vision.
Once it is out you need to scatter the guacamole (fuck you spellcheck and fuck that word – I haven’t got it right once), add the tomatoes and then liberally sling sour cream around it in whatever manner makes you feel right. Top it all with a little of everything you reserved for presentation (remember Lesson #8?).
Before serving, a few twists of the ‘ol pepper grinder is in order. I have no idea of the culinary benefit of the pepper but it is pretentious touches like this that make my investment in a monocle worthwhile.
Serve with forks in the middle of the table and do it like they do on the discovery channel. Although I’m not sure that Bloodhound Gang song is about eating.
Optionally, or possibly just forgotten if truth was an aspect of the internet, you can tip over a little sweet chilli sauce. Adding this ingredient really accomplishes two things: It probably would have tasted awesome if we had done it and it would piss off the anti-sugar campaigners who would begin furiously waving around their pseudo-science at me. [I don’t have a huge problem with them but vocal opinions like theirs make me think that people in the world aren’t aware of Mario Kart. Which is sad. - Ed]

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