Queso Dressing on a Carnitas and Nacho Salad
Description
This is an amazing Mexican dinner salad that's sure to be a real hit with your family!
At a Glance
Equipment
No special culinary equipment is needed to make this Queso Dressing and the Carnitas and Nacho Salad.
Ingredients
For the Queso Dressing:
3 tablespoons of Butter
2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
1 cup of Whole Milk
8 ounces of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
¼ cup of White Onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Jalapeños, finely chopped (to taste)
¼ teaspoon of Salt
½ cup of fresh Tomato Salsa
For the Nacho Salad:
2 cups of Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup of Tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup of Red Cabbage, chopped
1/3 cup of Red Onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup of Carrots, grated
1/3 cup of Cilantro, finely chopped
1/3 cup of Black Olives, sliced
1/3 cup of Radishes, sliced
1/3 cup of Cucumbers, sliced and then quartered
1/3 cup corn (frozen corn can be used; cook it in a small saucepan with one teaspoon of Butter and one teaspoon of Water until it is tender, and then add a dash of Black Pepper and some Cayenne Pepper to taste)
Half of an Avocado, pitted and sliced
¼ cup of green onions, finely chopped
2 ½ cups of Tortilla Chips
¼ cup of freshly made Guacamole (which you can access by clicking here)
For the Carnitas
The ingredients for the Carnitas are listed in the recommended recipe for Carnitas, which you can access here.
Directions
To Prepare the Queso Dressing:
Please note it is important to complete all of the preparation for the salad prior to making the queso dressing sauce for this nacho salad.
In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the white onion, the salt, and the jalapeño; cook it until the onion is translucent, and the jalapeño has softened. When that has happened, set it aside—about 3-5 minutes. Melt the other 2 tablespoons of butter in another saucepan. Once it is completely melted, add the flour, and stir them together into a nice light roux that is bubbling around the edges. Add the milk into the saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, lower the heat, and allow the sauce to begin to thicken. Add the onion and jalapeño to the sauce. Take the sauce off the stove and stir in the grated cheese; mix it until it is smooth and completely integrated. Stir in the fresh tomato salsa and then pour it over the tortilla chips to make the nachos for the Nacho salad.
To Prepare the Carnitas:
Prepare the Carnitas following our recommended recipe, which you can access here.
To Prepare the Nacho Salad:
Prepare all ingredients. Just in advance of when you are ready to serve it, make the Queso Dressing. While the cheese sauce is cooking, add the romaine lettuce in the bottom of the serving bowl, and then add the tortilla chips on top of the lettuce. Once the Queso Dressing is finished, pour it over the tortilla chips, and then add the remaining ingredients around the chips; top it with the green onions and guacamole. Toss the salad and serve.
