Hive Top Chef has a contest this week which is all about nachos. This is my entry!
| Ingredients | Result |
|---|---|
| a pile of nacho- or tortilla chips, plenty of pickled jalapeños, some leftover chicken or other protein, two or three thinly sliced button mushrooms, a handful of shredded cheddar, cayenne pepper to taste |  |
Put a layer of chips on a microwave-safe plate, add some toppings and about a third of the cheese, add another layer of chips, toppings, and the remaining two thirds of the cheese. Cook for 30 to 90 seconds in a microwave oven, until the cheese melts, keeping watch all the time so the chips don't get burnt. Dust as much cayenne on top as you like, and enjoy!
Since this uses real cheese, and not some processed goo, the cheese will harden when it cools, so it's better to make a small portion and eat it, then make another, instead of a huge pile all at once.
If you really like the melted cheese sauce thingy, it's easy to make something similar: add a tablespoon of cornstarch to 150ml cold milk and heat it while stirring constantly. Once it thickens, stir in the cheese from above and let it melt. Pour the sauce over the chips and nuke just long enough for the toppings to heat up a little, 15-30 seconds is usually enough.