Beef and bacon loaded corn chips

10 mins preparation | 17 mins cooking | serves 4 - 6

Like most families living through this Covid19 pandemic, we're spending a lot of time hanging out together at home. In fact, we are in each others space so much that by dinner time, we are all caught up on each other's daily events and don't feel the need or desire to sit around the family dinner table to chat some more. So for now, meals where we can eat together in peace are ideal. My famous beef and bacon loaded corn chips and spicy pico de gallo salsa scoffed in front of the idiot box fits the brief perfectly. Deliciously beefy, porky, crunchy, creamy, cheesy, spicy and fresh - a proper crowd pleaser. If your family feels the same, give this recipe a shot. And for those without kids, it's a tasty sensual prelude to some serious 'Netflix and chill'.

INGREDIENTS

Beef and bacon corn chips

500g corn chips

500g minced beef

200g smoked bacon, diced

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2/3 cup beef stock or water

Pico de gallo

2 large and ripe tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves and stems

1 green jalapeno pepper, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/2 lime, juiced

1 tsp castor sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Toppings

300g queso asadero, crumbled (or shredded mozzarella)

2 small radish, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled, de-seeded and sliced

125 corn kernels

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

200ml sour cream

METHOD

1. Preheat oven at 200°c

2. In a large non-stick fry pan, fry bacon pieces on medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden in colour.

3. To the same pan, add minced meat, ground coriander, cumin, garlic powder, sugar and salt. Fry minced meat in the the rendered bacon fat for 5 - 7 minutes or until well browned.

4. Add tomato paste and water and bring to a slow simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

5. Fill a 36 x 24 cm baking dish with the corn chips and top with the cheese.

6. Transfer baking dish to the heated oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

7. Evenly distribute the minced meat and bacon mixture over the corn chips followed by slices of avocado, radish, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes and dollops of sour cream.

8. For the pico de gallo, combine the tomato, fresh coriander, red onion, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar and salt. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

9. Serve the beef and pork loaded corn chips in the baking dish with a bowl of spicy picco de gallo on the side for those who like a bit more heat.