How to make nachos

The definitive guide to making this moreish Mexican sharing plate

Once upon a time, nachos were exciting stuff: a bag of crisps you could legitimately have for dinner, they were my teenage order of choice everywhere from scuzzy pubs to the kind of Tex-Mex restaurant that issued sombreros on arrival (I’ve had them at the cinema only once, though – even I have standards). Fashion has moved on, but, done well, nachos are still a thrill.

Prep 25 minCook 1 hr 30 minServes 4

½-1 small hot dried chilli (eg, arbol or cascabel), to taste3 fruity dried chillies (eg, ancho, mulato or pasilla, or a mixture)1 chipotle chilli, or 1 tbsp smoked paprika2 tbsp oil1 onion, peeled and finely chopped1 green pepper, stalk, seeds and pith removed, flesh fairly finely chopped2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushedSalt1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp ground coriander1 tsp Mexican oregano, or marjoram or Italian oregano, in which case use a little less1 tbsp Marmite1 x 400g tin tomatoes250ml brewed coffee (instant is fine)2 x 400g tins beans of your choice – I like black and kidney or pinto1 tsp brown sugar, or to taste1 tbsp masa harina, or cornflour (optional)

For the salsa (or use a decent-shop bought version, especially if ripe tomatoes aren’t available)2-3 ripe tomatoes½ green jalapeño chilli2 spring onions1 small bunch corianderJuice of 1 lime

For the guacamole½-1 fresh red chilli, depending on heat and taste1 small bunch corianderJuice of 1 lime1 large ripe avocado20g queso fresco, or feta, crumbled (optional)

To finish200g salted corn tortilla chips, or stale tortillas, cut into triangles and deep-fried100g cheddar, red leicester or similar, or vegan cheese, grated4-5 radishes or pickled jalapeños, thinly sliced (optional)

These days, I prefer vegetarian nachos, but if you’d like meat, my beef chilli recipe is on the Guardian website, or use your own favourite version. Equally, nachos are a dish one tends to want as soon as possible, so I’ve used cooked beans; if you prefer dried, you’ll need 250g of them, soaked, and to increase both the cooking time and the liquid content.

Boil the kettle. Remove the stalks and seeds from the dried chillies (if you’re going with paprika, don’t use that just yet), then toast in a hot, dry frying pan, turning regularly, until fragrant. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl, add enough boiling water just to cover, then leave to soak and soften for five minutes. Once soft, blitz to a puree.

Put the oil in a large casserole for which you have a lid, set it on a medium heat, then fry the onion and pepper until soft. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt, fry for another minute, then add the dry spices (including the paprika, if using) and oregano. Fry, stirring so nothing catches and burns, for a minute or so, until aromatic.

Drain the beans, reserving the liquid from the tins. Add the chilli paste, Marmite, tomatoes, coffee, beans and sugar to the pot, bring everything up to a simmer, then turn down the heat and leave to cook gently for about an hour, until the sauce has thickened to your liking; if it gets too dry, stir in some (or all) of the bean liquid.

Stir in the masa harina, if using (this is the alkalised ground corn traditionally used to make tortillas; standard cornflour will do the job, too, if need be), season to taste, then add more sugar, if you like, and take off the heat. The chilli can be prepared up to this stage up to a couple of days in advance, if necessary; and, anyway, such things always taste better after they’ve been given a chance to mellow.

Once you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. To make the salsa, finely chop the tomatoes and chilli (if you’re sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and pith first) and thinly slice the spring onion. Roughly chop the coriander, then put everything in a bowl, add the lime juice, season and stir.

In a mini-chopper or mortar, blitz or pound the chilli, coriander and a little lime juice to a paste. Add the avocado flesh, whizz or mash until fairly smooth, then add more lime to taste. Add a splash of just enough cold water to loosen it, then stir in the crumbled cheese, if using. Season to taste.

Put a third of the tortilla chips in an oven dish and top with a quarter each of the bean chilli and grated cheese. Repeat this layering twice more, then spoon the remaining chilli and cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Top the nachos with spoonfuls of salsa and guacamole, sprinkle all over with the sliced radishes and/or jalapeños, and serve at once with the remaining salsa and guacamole on the side. If you’re a dairy fiend, you might also like a few dollops of soured cream, or proper, cultured creme fraiche, which is more like Mexican crema in both flavour and consistency.